A former Cleveland Browns signal caller is getting another shot under center with a high-powered AFC opponent.
Quarterback Nick Mullens started just one game for the Browns in 2021 — a narrow 16-14 defeat at the hands of the Las Vegas Raiders on December 20. On Friday, the same team that eked the win out over Mullens in Cleveland signed him to a new contract.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the news via Twitter on the morning of April 1.
The #Raiders have agreed to terms with QB Nick Mullens, source says. Right now, it’s him and Garrett Gilbert behind Derek Carr, so a good shot for him to land a backup gig.
“The #Raiders have agreed to terms with QB Nick Mullens, source says,” Garafolo tweeted. “Right now, it’s him and Garrett Gilbert behind Derek Carr, so a good shot for him to land a backup gig.”
ESPN’s Field Yates reported later Friday that Mullens’ deal is for one year at a total of just over $1 million guaranteed, with incentives that could bump his total earnings to $2.5 million.
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Mullens Has Proven Competent NFL Starter Across Four Seasons
Getty imagesQuarterback Nick Mullens, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, has signed a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Mullens, 27, was competent in his one start for the Browns, completing 20 of 30 passes for 147 yards and one touchdown. Such has been the story of Mullens’ career across four seasons in the NFL.
The quarterback signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 as an undrafted free agent out of Souther Mississippi, spending the entire year on the team’s practice squad. He got his first shot in San Francisco in 2018, starting eight games and leading the team to a 3-5 record during those contests. He started another eight games for the Niners two years later, with a record of 2-6.
All told, Mullens has appeared in 20 NFL games and started 17 of those. His record as a starter is 5-12. Mullens has completed 64.6% of his passes, amassing 4,861 career yards and 26 touchdowns compared to 22 interceptions, per Pro Football Reference.
After his time in San Francisco came to an end, Mullens caught on briefly with the Philadelphia Eagles before that franchise cut him from its practice squad in late August 2021. He ended up signing with the Browns, where he spent much of the year on the practice squad as QB3 behind starter Baker Mayfield and backup Case Keenum.
Quarterback Drama Persists in Cleveland With Watson, Mayfield
GettyThe future of Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield remains an open question.
Mullens and Keenum are now both gone from the Cleveland locker room, which has been full of both turnover and drama since mid-March.
The Browns traded Keenum to the Buffalo Bills and then signed Jacoby Brissett to serve as backup to the newly-acquired Deshaun Watson. The moves seemed to render Mayfield’s presence on the roster superfluous, though that may not prove the case considering Watson’s off-field troubles.
Two grand juries in separate counties in Texas recently decided that Watson would not face charges stemming from nine criminal complaints (one of which was filed in both counties, for a total of 10) alleging the former Houston Texans quarterback engaged in illegal behaviors ranging from sexual misconduct to sexual assault. However, 22 civil cases filed against Watson for the same alleged reasons remain active.
If Watson settles the cases before the season begins in early September, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio believes the QB is likely to face a six-game suspension. If Watson hasn’t settled those cases, Florio said the league could decide to place him on paid leave for as long as the entire 2022 season, enacting whatever suspension it decides on to begin the following year.
Mayfield first requested a trade out of Cleveland following the team’s initial meeting with Watson on Tuesday, March 15. After initially stating they would not honor Mayfield’s request, the Browns ended up signing Watson and began shopping Mayfield, the team’s starter over the previous four seasons.
The trade market for Mayfield dwindled in the days that followed, as several other franchises in need of a quarterback locked down their starters for 2022. Consequently, Cleveland watched from the proverbial sidelines as more and more of its leverage in future trade talks for Mayfield evaporated. The Browns’ current position is that they will hold onto Mayfield and potentially start him for multiple games to begin the season if Watson is unavailable. Doing so could add value back to Mayfield as a trade chip, as could an injury to another franchise’s quarterback, which is all but guaranteed to happen eventually.
It’s also possible, however, that Mayfield gets traded before the regular season begins. Even posturing that Mayfield may be the starter in Cleveland to kick off the year could push his trade value higher. Currently, the Seattle Seahawks are believed to be the most likely landing spot for the QB should such a deal go down, though NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Seahawks aren’t like to take on Mayfield’s nearly $19 million contract unless the Browns are willing to a pay a portion of his salary.
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Former Browns QB Inks New Deal With AFC Rival