Getty Images Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The Carolina Panthers have emerged as the favorite to land Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and a trade involving the former top pick is expected sooner than later.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported on April 16 that the Panthers have the “inside track” on a trade for Mayfield.
“Panthers receiver Robby Anderson might want to start wrapping his brain around catching passes from Baker Mayfield this fall, because his club has the inside track to land the NFL’s No. 1 pick in 2018 over several interested teams, a league source tells cleveland.com,” Cabot wrote.
Anderson is being referenced because he spoke out against a Mayfield trade on social media. However, it sounds like he’ll have to come to terms with catching balls from Mayfield.
Market Has Been Slim for Baker Mayfield
Finding takers for Mayfield has been exceedingly difficult for the Browns, mostly because Mayfield is due nearly $19 million next season on his fifth-year option. The Panthers have more than $30 million of cap room remaining, per Over the cap, and will likely get the Browns to eat a portion of the salary in a trade.
Mayfield was originally eyeing the Colts as his next squad but they shored up the QB position with a trade for Matt Ryan. During an appearance on the Ya Neva Know podcast this week, Mayfield said he felt the Seahawks would be a likely destination for him.
“Seattle would probably be the most likely option, but even then, I have no idea. I’m ready for the next chapter, the next opportunity because I have one more year of a guaranteed contract. I know I have this one year to do as much as I possibly can. It’s not extra pressure,” he said. “It’s just like ‘I’ve been here before.’”
That appears less likely to happen, with Seattle inking Geno Smith to a backup deal and Drew Lock coming over via trade earlier this ofseason.
Baker Mayfield Felt Disrespected by Browns
Mayfield is coming off a rough season where he battled injury and performed inconsistently on the field. He passed for 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions as the Browns missed the postseason at 8-9. Mayfield had surgery on a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder this offseason and is expected to be ready to go for the start of training camp.
“I was trying to be tough and fight through it, but then physically I wasn’t as capable of doing what I would normally [do],” Mayfield said. “When I wasn’t performing on the field, that’s when it really started to go downhill. Because I can tough it out, I don’t care, I’m not going to complain about it, like everybody is banged up. But then when it started hindering my play and going downhill, that’s when I was like, oh s—.”
Mayfield said the situation with the Browns left him feeling disrespected because they were not clear with their plans to pursue Deshaun Watson.
“One hundred percent,” Mayfield said. “I was told one thing and they completely did another.”