While trading for Deshaun Watson seemed like a big move for the Browns, it remains to be seen whether everything works out fine before the 2022 NFL season gets underway. The formerTexans quarterback may be cleared from criminal matters but the league can still suspend him.
In that case, Cleveland would be in deep trouble, as they have practically burned all bridges with Baker Mayfield. The only reason whyhe’s still on the roster is because no team wantsto take him nor themoney he’s due this season.
Despite the fact that,technically, he is still one of their own, the truth is that Mayfield and the Browns reached a point of no return. By acquiring Watson, the front office made clear who thestarting quarterback would be from now on. Even so, that was notwhen Mayfield realized it was time to leave.
Mayfieldmay have decided to leave before Browns made official the Watson trade
Mayfield‘s future in Cleveland never seemed clear after the 2021 season. As a matter of fact, Browns G.M. Andrew Berry eventuallylethimknow they were open to land a star quarterbackif they had the chance.
However, whatbothered Mayfield wasnot the fact that they wereconsidering new options but that they went behind his back.Mayfield found outon social media that the front office was traveling to Houston to meet with Watson.
But that wasn’t theend for him either. According to Jake Trotter of ESPN, Mayfield decided it was time to go afterreading areport that suggested the Browns wanted an “adult” signal-caller:
“But the final straw for Mayfield, according to multiple sources, came on March 16, when ESPN NFL insider Chris Mortensen said he believed Mayfield’s time in Cleveland was over and that he was told the Browns wanted “an adult” at quarterback.”
Trotter adds thatMayfield requested a trade only a day later, 24 hours before the Browns officially landed Watson. It’s important to notethat manyreports had already placed him out of Clevelandby then, and this could have just sealed the deal for him. After all, it seems thatMayfieldlearned more about his futurefromthe Internet thanfrom the Browns’ front office.
