Following an underwhelming 2021 NFL season, the future of Baker Mayfield in Cleveland was put into question. For months, it wasuncertain whether he’d return to the Browns this year. Oncethe team traded for Deshaun Watson, it became clear Mayfield’s time was over.
However, it’s been three months since that happened and the Browns have yet to find a trade partner. Not only there are few teams left who could still be interested in tradingfor a quarterback, but theirdemands weretoo high forpotential suitors.
But the months have goneby and it seems that thebetter option for the Browns is to give in. Cleveland’s stance so far was to trade Mayfield without paying any of his $18.6 millioncontract, but it looks like it would ultimately accept affording part of his salary.
Rumor: Browns open to paying half of Baker Mayfield’s salary
“Cleveland’s been willing to take on a fair amount of Baker’s salary, like $9, $10 million,” Albert Breer of Sports Illustratedsaid in an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show.“For people out there who think that Cleveland’s holding on to Baker as Deshaun insurance, they wouldn’t be offering to take on a pretty significant portion of the guy’s salary if they were looking to hold him until there’s more clarity in the Deshaun Watson case.”
Even so, it seems that they’d have to make an even bigger effort. Breer added that the Carolina Panthers, the most likely landing spot for Mayfield at this point, would only acquire him for a bargain.
“If there was a good deal out for Baker Mayfield for the Panthers, he might already be a Panther,” Breer said.“If they were in a position where they only had to pay him $4 or $5 million, then I think there is a decent chance that Baker Mayfield would be in Carolina now and Cleveland would have a draft pick for him.”
The Browns will unlikely agree to those terms, but at least they look willing to change their initial demands. Training camp will begin soon, and it would better for both parties to reach an agreement by then.
