Getty Images Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns have to make a decision on an extension for quarterback Baker Mayfield, but there is reportedly no urgency from either side on reaching an agreement.
There haven’t been any “substantive talks” about his contract extension, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, who said that the negotiations could stretch into the season.
But there’s no sense of urgency on the part of either side to get it done before training camp or even the start of the season. They both know it’s going to happen.
The lines of communication between the Browns and Tom Mills, Mayfield’s chief negotiator, and his father Jack Mills are open, but they haven’t exchanged proposals yet, sources tell cleveland.com.
The Browns are in a good situation with Mayfield because they have time to work on it after executing his fifth-year option earlier this offseason. That is worth $18.858 million for 2022 and gave Mayfield a feeling of commitment from the team that selected him with the top overall pick in 2018.
Mayfield has been clear he’s not stressed about an extension and knows it will come if the wins keep piling up.
“I am in no rush because I am just trying to win games, and like I said, it will handle itself. I am sure Tom and Jack Mills are handling that,” Mayfield told reporters at minicamp. “I do not try and feed too much into that because that is wasting my time and energy and thought process on stuff that I am not in control of right now. I am going to handle what I can control.”
Mayfield’s Agents Don’t Want to ‘Drag Out’ Negotiations
The commitment to Mayfield will be one that impacts the franchise for the next half-decade, so it can’t be rushed. However, Mayfield’s agent Jack Mills said he doesn’t want to drag things out while speaking with Tony Grossi of TheLandOnDemand.com.
“We’re not going to be dragging it out,” Mills told Grossi. “I think there’s been enough contracts done for quarterbacks lately that give us a pretty good idea of what the market is. And, of course, we know that the [salary] cap isn’t going up this year but it’s going up next year and next. We pretty much know what’s coming on down the road and what’s been done. We don’t have any particular reluctance about doing a deal.”
Mayfield proved last season he could be a franchise quarterback, passing for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and a career-low eight interceptions last season.
Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson Could Play Into Negotiations
The Browns might not have a sense of urgency but recognize that the potential contract extensions coming for Bills QB Josh Allen and Ravens QB Lamar Jackson could have an impact on what Mayfield gets.
Allen and Jackson are more accomplished than Mayfield so far in their careers, both with Pro Bowl nods and Jackson with an MVP. However, if those contracts drop first it’s likely Mayfield will be on par with whatever number they get.
Baker Mayfield’s current market value four years and just over $141 million, per Spotrac.
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