Browns trading Baker Mayfield may require one key thing
PALM BEACH, Fla. — For all intents and functions, the Cleveland Browns are speaking about Baker Mayfield prior to now tense. The query now seems to be whether or not the franchise is keen to incur wage cap ache to make him a tradable commodity.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski mentioned Monday that Cleveland would favor to get the scenario with Mayfield’s future “resolved quickly” but it surely’s one thing that has “a number of dynamics” in play earlier than that may occur. Different groups on the league’s annual spring house owners conferences in Florida have made it pretty clear what the 2 greatest dynamics are: Mayfield’s $18.8 million assured wage subsequent season, after which the progress of the January surgery to repair the torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder.
These two points, together with Cleveland trading for Deshaun Watson and signing Jacoby Brissett, have left the Browns with little or no leverage on the commerce market with Mayfield. A lot in order that groups appear pretty sure that given an extended sufficient timeline this offseason, the Browns are going to finish up approaching Mayfield about an outright launch in trade for a restructured wage in 2022, just like a deal that was labored out with Odell Beckham Jr. final season. That deal saved Cleveland $3 million in cap house, whereas permitting the wideout to move by way of waivers and finally signal with the Los Angeles Rams. Like Beckham Jr. earlier than him, Mayfield would doubtless go from zero to a number of potential suitors as soon as he doesn’t price a commerce asset or his assured wage for 2022.
“He’s a [No. 1 overall] choose who has been capable of have some success as a starter,” one NFC govt mentioned on the conferences. “I believe should you simply have a look at Mitchell Trubisky having some choices and curiosity [in free agency], there will likely be some curiosity in Baker, too.”
One other NFC personnel man added: “Loads of groups need him however aren’t going to tackle the wage. They are going to all pounce on him as soon as [Cleveland] has to chop him.”
Requested if the Browns might make Mayfield extra enticing on the commerce market by agreeing to pay a few of his wage, the NFC personnel man mentioned even that state of affairs will likely be a problem, as a result of it’s nearly inconceivable for the Browns to have him on the roster subsequent season.
“They must eat 80 % [of Mayfield’s salary], however they’ve already proven their playing cards,” he mentioned. “Groups are going to sit down idle and pressure them to chop Baker as a result of it’s going to be an odd scenario holding him round.”
A few of that oddity was already on show on Monday, when Stefanski talked at size about his quarterback depth chart and was clear that Brissett is the staff’s backup. That successfully ends any hypothesis that Mayfield might by some means return and begin if Watson have been to be suspended video games subsequent season as a result of NFL’s ongoing investigation. The league remains to be within the midst of a probe into the 22 civil suits pending against Watson for a variety of sexual misconduct and assault allegations.
NFL groups courting a commerce for Watson have been taking a possible suspension severely sufficient that each one have been weighing the necessity for an skilled backup if he needed to miss an prolonged interval. On Monday, Stefanski made it clear that plan is concentrated squarely on Brissett and never Mayfield.
“We’ve got to be prepared, at any time when the [Watson suspension] determination is made, probably to go together with Jacoby,” Stefanski mentioned.
Mayfield’s suitors are actually not as plentiful as they could have been early within the offseason. Practically each beginning quarterback spot exterior of the Seattle Seahawks has been addressed in some vogue. That mentioned, one AFC basic supervisor famous that should you look in a two-year window for Mayfield, that adjustments considerably.
“A greater query, perhaps the extra practical query, may be which groups may wish a starter in 2023,” he mentioned. “As a result of there are locations he might go in 2022 with the intention of being a successor to somebody. If he’s keen to take that strategy, his free company might goal at quite a lot of locations.
“However from a commerce side, that’s a smaller group, as a result of groups that would signal him as a no-risk free agent are making much less of a dedication than a staff that’s giving up one thing. When you’re giving up a draft choose for him, I’d assume the hope is that you’ve plans for him after subsequent season.”
The 2-year window strategy might embody as many as 9 groups: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers making ready for all times after Tom Brady following this season; the Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions each understanding they’ll exit the contracts of Ryan Tannehill and Jared Goff for minimal wage cap ache subsequent offseason; Mitchell Trubisky and Marcus Mariota each successfully being on one-year “present me” offers with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons; Daniel Jones and Sam Darold successfully being within the final 12 months of their offers with the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers; after which groups just like the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints measuring Jalen Hurts and James Winston in 2022.
That’s a reasonably extensive swath of groups, but additionally simpler to examine for Mayfield if he’s operating his personal free company later this offseason. For now, that isn’t occurring. And it could keep that means for some time as Cleveland waits to see if circumstances push somebody to the commerce desk unexpectedly.
As Stefanski put it Monday, “It’s a singular scenario. Gotta see the way it performs out. I do know all of us, we’d love a solution yesterday.”
