Getty Quarterback Baker Mayfield walks onto the field to be honored during the Oklahoma football spring game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on April 23, 2022 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
The chances of the Cleveland Browns and Baker Mayfield mending fences have always been low, but after the quarterback spoke Tuesday morning, they now appear slim to none.
Mayfield hosted his annual youth football camp in Norman, Oklahoma, on June 28. He has avoided stepping in front of a microphone much since the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson, his replacement under center in Cleveland, back in mid-March.
But with Watson’s immediate future uncertain in light of a disciplinary hearing that began today, and which could result in a significant suspension for the quarterback, media members took the opportunity to ask Mayfield the question on everyone’s mind: If the Browns need a starter come Week 1, is there any chance of a reconciliation between the team and its former No. 1 quarterback?
SoonerScoop shared video of Mayfield’s response via Twitter moments after he offered it.
Baker Mayfield answered the question everyone wants to know: If DeShaun Watson is suspended, could he return to Cleveland in 2022? Here’s his answer from his youth camp Tuesday in Norman. (via @CareyAMurdock, @Eddie_Rado)
“No,” Mayfield said flatly. “I think for that to happen, there would have to be some reaching out. But we’re ready to move on, I think, on both sides.”
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Browns Going With Jacoby Brissett in Watson’s Absence
GettyQuarterback Jacoby Brissett, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts, is set to start for the Cleveland Browns Week 1 if Deshaun Watson is suspended by the NFL.
The franchise apparently occupies the same position as its former quarterback, per a report over the weekend from ESPN’s Jake Trotter.
Trotter appeared on “SportsCenter” Sunday and laid out the situation, saying definitively that there would be no reconciliation between the two sides.
The Cleveland Browns are still bracing for a significant suspension to their starting quarterback. If the NFL does suspend [Deshaun Watson], expect the Browns to enter training camp with Jacoby Brissett, not Baker Mayfield, as their starting quarterback.
While Mayfield remains on Cleveland’s roster, I’ve been told he has no intention of playing for the Browns again. Cleveland has no plans for this to happen either. Instead, in the event of a Watson suspension, look for the Browns to move forward with Brissett, the former Indianapolis Colt, as the starter at quarterback.
Mayfield Frustrated With Delay in Trade to New Team
Getty ImagesQuarterback Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns shared his frustrations with the team during an interview at his youth camp in Norman, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, June 28 2022.
During the same interview on Tuesday, Mayfield expressed his frustration with the team’s inability and/or unwillingness to trade him to this point.
The QB requested a trade within days of the Browns’ acquisition of Watson, but Cleveland has held fast for months in an attempt to drive Mayfield’s value back up to where they believe it belongs.
The deterioration of that value has little to do with Mayfield’s health or recent performance, and is much more closely linked to Cleveland sacrificing its bargaining position in potential trade talks by alienating Mayfield through the signings of Watson and Brissett — making it clear there was no room for him on the roster and that the franchise had no intention of retaining his services.
“I think I got frustrated with [a trade] not happening before minicamp and all those things, but that’s the stuff that’s out of my control,” Mayfield said. “So, you know, [you] let those things happen and fall into place. Right now, I’m just controlling what I can and enjoying this [youth camp].”
The Browns have been in serious talks with the Carolina Panthers about a deal for Mayfield, though the sticking point continues to be how much of his nearly $19 million guaranteed salary Cleveland is willing to pick up as part of any deal. The Seattle Seahawks have also engaged in discussions about a Mayfield acquisition, though they are said to be uninterested in the quarterback at his current price.
Despite the fact that Mayfield has yet to officially switch teams, he took the opportunity Tuesday to thank the city of Cleveland and clear the air with Browns fans.
“I think it’s been pretty obvious the mutual decision on both sides is to move on. I’m thankful for my four years in Cleveland,” Mayfield said. “There’s a lot of ups and downs, and a ton of learning experiences that I’ll forever keep with me. Teammates and friends and relationships that I’ll have for a lifetime.”
“The support staff in Cleveland, the people of Cleveland — it’s a great sports town,” he continued. “So I’m thankful for it, and there’s no resentment toward the city by any means.”