Cleveland Browns refuse to release Baker Mayfield; Will wait for suitable trade offers for the QB
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Baker Mayfield is essentially stuck in Cleveland for the foreseeable future, the former 1st pick is frustrated and disgruntled with the Browns organization acquiring Deshaun Watson. The QB, as well as the team, have been open about being willing to part ways, however, there are bigger issues in the mix.
The Cleveland Browns are not willing to let go of Mayfield so easily, they have paid a jaw-dropping $230 million in guaranteed amount to Deshaun Watson and apart from him have a backup QB in Jacoby Brissett. The backup QB is making $4.65 million currently. So the floor is set for the Browns to go without Baker in the 2022 season.
Browns are unwilling to negotiate Baker Mayfield’s release
The reason that the team is hesitant to release him outright is that they will have to pay him $18.58 million that is due to him on his guaranteed fifth-year option.
The Browns even spoke to the Panthers on the draft weekend about trading for Mayfield but it did not work out as if it had gone through, Carolina’s cap space would have been hit as per ESPN’s Jake Trotter. It helps explain why the Browns are resisting cutting the QB and they are looking to avoid paying the full price of Mayfield’s fifth-year option that they had previously promised to offer him.
It’s likely to happen but if no trade offers arise, Mayfield will have to accept a pay cut in order to facilitate his release. Cleveland is more likely to find a trade partner or proceed with the release, however, without any cap savings.
Teams that are interested in the QB could end up taking a small cap hit due to the QB. However, the biggest issue is that no team wants him, all trade talks have died down and there are no indications that any team is looking to touch the QB either.
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Sumedh Joshi
(2300 Articles Published)