Getty Images Quarterback Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.
There has not been much movement on the trade front involving Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, although a hint from his wife may indicate otherwise.
Emily Mayfield responded to a tweet from the wife of former Browns linebacker Joe Schobert. It read: “One of the hardest parts about being in our position is knowing so much but not being able to say s–t.”
Mrs. Mayfield responded with a concise “AMEN.”
https://twitter.com/emilywmayfield6/status/1523157337594343424
So perhaps some trade news has been a topic of conversation in the Mayfield household. It was just earlier this week that she posted a video of her quarterback husband, noting that his surgically repaired shoulder was looking “A-okay!”
Of course, Emily Mayfield could also be referencing what goes on in general behind the scenes with an NFL star. As his spouse, she surely hears his first-hand point of view on everything going on inside the locker and there was a ton going on behind the scenes last year for the Browns.
Mayfield’s Relationship With Browns Fractured During Year
Baker Mayfield was recently the topic of an article from ESPN’s Jake Trotter, which profiled his downfall with the franchise that took him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft.
One of the most significant nuggets from that piece cited sources close to Mayfield that felt the Browns purposely tried to make him look bad during a Week 17 matchup against the Steelers. He was sacked nine times in the matchup.
According to multiple sources, those close to Mayfield — who to that point had missed one game because of his shoulder injury — wondered at the time if the Browns were trying to make Mayfield look as hapless as possible in prime time, to potentially pave the way for the franchise to more easily explain why it might be moving on from him in the offseason.
Mayfield won’t get to pick his next NFL home, unless the Browns make the unlikely move of cutting him. But two things Mayfield will want from his next stop are an opportunity to start — seeing as he’s heading into the final year of his rookie deal — and stabilization. Mayfield became the fourth quarterback in league history to play for four different head coaches in his first three seasons.
“I’m just looking for stabilization right now,” Mayfield said on the Ya Never Know: You know What I Mean? podcast in April, “I really, truly honesty have no regrets of my time in Cleveland of what I tried to give that place. True Clevelanders and true Browns fans know that, and that’s why I can walk away from the whole situation feeling like I did it.”
Teams Not Looking to do Browns Favor With Mayfield Trade
At this point in the offseason, teams around the NFL are not jumping at the chance to trade for Mayfield because they know that the Browns hold no leverage in negotiations. Mayfield comes with a near $19-million salary and the Browns want that off their books. However, they’ll likely have to eat a chunk of that in a trade, making it more reasonable for the receiving team.
“It is a fluid situation,” general manager Andrew Berry said during the draft. “We will deal with it day by day.”
The Panthers and Seahawks have been cited as the most active teams in pursuit of Mayfield, although their interest lately seems to have stalled. The Texans have been another team mentioned to be keeping an eye on Mayfield, as have the Giants.