Proposed Trade Deals Browns Baker Mayfield to Toiling NFC Squad

Getty Images Quarterback Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.

The Cleveland Browns probably need to start thinking unconventionally if they hope to deal Baker Mayfield for any kind of real value. Although, there may be one conventional path left for the franchise to achieve the same result — an appeal to ego, nostalgia and what might have been.

In a nutshell, the Browns want a return for Mayfield commensurate with the value of a mid-range NFL starter under center — something that comes at a significant premium these days. Cleveland also wants to get out from under the quarterback’s onerous contract without having to foot the majority of the nearly $19 million bill.

Conventional thinking says Cleveland should seek out teams without legitimate answers under center and negotiate a compromise with one of them, hopefully trending in the Browns’ favor. Cleveland tried that, and has thus far failed, with both the Seattle Seahawks and the Carolina Panthers.

The Browns have failed because they surrendered essentially all of their leverage by jumping the gun on a trade for former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, making it clear they had no use for Mayfield after picking up his fifth-year option and guaranteeing his paycheck.

Thus, unless desperation rears its head elsewhere in the NFL due to injury or some other unforeseen circumstance that drives up demand for Mayfield across the league, the Browns appear stuck. They can keep Mayfield on the roster, release him and pay most of his salary anyways, or simply wait. To this point, the team has chosen option No. 3.

The other path Cleveland might tread to some success is to find coaches and/or executives who were part of the front office that drafted Mayfield with the No. 1 overall pick in 2018. Luckily for the Browns, the general manager who made that decision, John Dorsey, is now an influential member of the Detroit Lions front office — a team that just might be in need of a long-term solution under center.

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Detroit Struggled Mightily in 2021 Under New QB Jared Goff

GettyQuarterback Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions throws the ball during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on December 5, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)

Dan Graziano of ESPN reported in a piece published Friday, June 10, that executives from around the league suggested the Lions are among the top candidates to land Mayfield outside of the frontrunners in Seattle and Carolina.

“Former Browns general manager John Dorsey, who selected Mayfield at the top of the 2018 draft, is now part of the Detroit front office,” Graziano wrote. “He’s not the GM, but if he were to stump on Mayfield’s behalf, is it ridiculous to think Mayfield could come in and compete with Jared Goff? Or replace Goff after this year?”

Goff was a member of the Los Angeles Rams until a trade prior to last season sent him to Detroit in a package that brought back long-time Lions quarterback Matt Stafford. The Rams went on to win the Super Bowl in Stafford’s first year at the helm, while the Lions struggled to a 3-13-1 record. That was good enough to slot Detroit dead last in the NFC. The Lions finished just a half game ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who produced the worst record in the entire NFL.

Goff posted a record of 3-10-1 as the starter, throwing for 3,245 yards to go along with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions, per Pro Football Reference.

Money Primary Hindrance to Mayfield Deal Between Browns, Lions

Getty ImagesQuarterback Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.

The biggest obstacle to getting a deal done with the Lions is probably financial in nature, as Goff carries a cap hit of more than $31 million this season, per Spotrac, and a dead cap hit of over $41 million. The dead cap total represents what it would cost the Lions against their cap number to cut bait with Goff this season.

However, Detroit can part ways with Goff after 2022 for the price of just $10 million. He is currently backed up on the roster by Tim Boyle and David Blough, who share a combined record of 0-8 as NFL starters.

Mayfield is a massive improvement over either player and is arguably a better solution under center than is Goff. Mayfield has a better record and slightly lower traditional numbers than Goff over the past three seasons. Beyond that, it can be argued reasonably that much of Goff’s success in Los Angeles, which included a trip to the Super Bowl in 2018, should be attributed to the offensive system deployed by the Rams under head coach Sean McVay.

The Lions have just over $10 million in available cap room, per Over The Cap, which they could use toward a Mayfield deal if the Browns are willing to pick up a good portion of his tab for the season — something Cleveland will likely have to do no matter where Mayfield goes. In turn, Detroit will likely have to part with a mid-round pick to acquire him.

That leaves the Lions with the decision of whether to make a run at a potential QB of the future now in Mayfield — who, at the very least, is a gritty competitor with real starting experience and a playoff victory under his belt — or slog through another losing season and try to draft the future of the position in 2023.