Baker Mayfield is entering the final year of his rookie contract with the Cleveland Browns, and there has been some talk of the team potentially moving on from him. It sounds like that talk can be put to rest.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry was asked on Tuesday about Mayfield’s future in Cleveland. He said he expects the former first overall pick to return in 2022 and have a bounce-back year.
#Browns GM Andrew Berry:
We fully expect Baker to be our starting quarterback next year and to bounce back.
— Matt Fontana (@MattFontana83) January 11, 2022
#Browns GM Andrew Berry:
We are looking forward to Baker getting healthy this offseason and then putting in good work to have the type of season we know he can have.
— Matt Fontana (@MattFontana83) January 11, 2022
Berry also said he is not concerned about Mayfield playing out the final season of his contract. That likely confirms the obvious, which is that the Browns won’t try to extend Mayfield this offseason.
Mayfield had a rough season in 2021. He played through a significant shoulder injury, which was definitely a factor in his and the team’s performance. The Browns are already on the hook for nearly $19 million guaranteed after they picked up the fifth-year option on Mayfield’s rookie contract. It makes sense for them to give him another year to prove he can be their franchise QB.
While things can change in a hurry, Mayfield is not likely to be traded this offseason. He went off on a reporter on Twitter last week over talk that he could request a trade.
Photo: Aug 29, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) is shown on the sideline during their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
