Baker Mayfield does not appear to be drawing any significant trade interest, and that may have more to do with money than it does with the quarterback’s inconsistent play.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media said Friday that Mayfield’s $18 million salary for 2022 is the main reason teams do not want to trade for him. If the Browns eat some money or another team comes up with a way to restructure Mayfield’s contract, the level of interest should increase.
From NFL Now: Teams are interested in Baker Mayfield, but not at that salary. A look at what's next, how it'll play out… and whether the #Browns could just keep him. pic.twitter.com/cQIzyZoaRK
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 25, 2022
“It doesn’t seem like anyone is interested at this salary,” Rapoport said. “The ‘at this salary’ part is key, because Baker Mayfield is unlikely to be traded at $18 million. If the Browns are able to eat some money or if the agent and the new team can work it out and come up with some sort of answer to how to split or deal with Baker Mayfield’s salary, then I believe he will be traded. I don’t get the sense that the Browns are going to release him.”
What is perhaps more interesting is that Rapoport would not rule out a scenario where the Browns keep Mayfield as insurance against a Deshaun Watson suspension. Watson could be suspended for a significant portion of the 2022 season, so Cleveland might want Mayfield to start in the meantime.
It is highly unlikely that Mayfield would want to remain in Cleveland as a contingency plan, of course. He publicly requested a trade just because the Browns showed interest in Watson. Would he want to stick around now that the deal has been completed? The answer is almost certainly no.
The Browns appear to be taking a hard stance in Mayfield trade talks. That could change, especially if Mayfield starts creating issues for the organization.
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
