Getty Images Quarterback Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns are among a handful of NFL teams with a chance to trade for Houston QB Deshaun Watson, and one member of the roster hasn’t been shy about the outcome he’d prefer to see.
A grand jury in Texas decided Friday that Watson will not face charges in relation to nine criminal complaints of sexual misconduct that had been filed against him. Trade speculation involving the Texans’ polarizing, but undeniably talented, signal caller began swirling immediately and furiously after the news broke. Soon after, Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network declared the Browns a “wildcard” in the Watson sweepstakes.
One day later, the Browns landed superstar WR Amari Cooper in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys, bolstering their passing attack and presumably strengthening their case to land Watson, who is equipped with a no-trade clause that affords him extensive leverage in any negotiation.
On Friday night, before the team closed the deal to bring Cooper to Cleveland, Browns linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. took to Twitter to express his support for a change under center in 2022.
NFL analyst Daryl Ruiter tweeted a comparison between Mayfield’s and Watson’s first four seasons in the NFL, which clearly indicates that Watson is the superior QB.
“Discuss among yourselves,” Ruiter wrote in the caption.
Wilson did not engage in discussion as Ruiter had suggested, at least not publicly. The third-year Cleveland linebacker did, however, click the “like” button on Ruiter’s tweet. Social media messages have been “liked” in error before, but Wilson expressed his affection for Ruiter’s posted statistic Friday night and had not changed his position as of Saturday afternoon. The general implication is that Wilson is ready to see a new quarterback in Cleveland or, at the very least, would prefer Watson in the Browns locker room over current QB Baker Mayfield.
Texans QB Watson Offers Upgrade Over Browns QB Mayfield
GettyHouston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is likely to be traded this offseason.
Watson entered the league one year ahead of Mayfield but sat out all of 2021 while under investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct. While Watson will face no criminal complaints, he still must navigate 22 civil cases alleging inappropriate sexual behavior, which remain unresolved. Though Watson was never suspended by the NFL and was paid his entire salary for last season, the Texans ultimately chose not to run him out onto the field.
As such, Watson and Mayfield have each played four seasons over the course of their respective careers. However, by comparison Watson’s production has been unquestionably superior to Mayfield’s production. Both have thrown for over 14,000 yards, but Watson has a much better completion percentage (67.8%) than does Mayfield (61.6%). Watson has also thrown 104 TDs to just 36 INTs, while Mayfield has tallied 92 TDs against 56 INTs.
Beyond the passing game, the Texans QB is a far more talented runner of the football. Watson has amassed 1,677 rushing yards and 17 TDs compared with Mayfield’s 571 rushing yards and 5 TDs. Watson was named to three Pro Bowls during each of the previous three seasons in which he played, while Mayfield has never been selected to a Pro Bowl roster. Watson has also led the Texans to the postseason on two occasions with one playoff win on his resumé. Mayfield has been to the postseason once and also has one playoff victory to his credit.
Wilson Not First Browns Player to Criticize Mayfield Publicly
Getty ImagesQuarterback Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.
Wilson may be “liking” Tweets out of turn as a third-year linebacker with a spotty history of professional production, especially when criticizing the team’s QB and one of the leaders of the Browns organization. But, to be fair, Wilson is also not the first player to take public issue with Mayfield.
Wide receiver Jarvis Landry expressed his frustration with Mayfield back in November following a blowout loss to the New England Patriots, mentioning that other Browns pass catchers were also bothered by the quarterback’s inconsistent play.
Star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. forced his way out of Cleveland just weeks before Landry’s comments. Beckham’s exit came after his father ripped Mayfield publicly over the QB’s perceived inability to deliver his son the football downfield. Then, a few weeks following the Browns embarrassing loss to the Patriots, the father of Cleveland running back Kareem Hunt also criticized Mayfield’s play in the media. This time, the disparaging comments followed a close loss to the AFC North Division rival Baltimore Ravens.
But not all of Mayfield’s teammates, or their fathers, have been critical of the QB’s performance and effort last season. In fact, some have had nothing but glowing comments on the topics, particularly because Mayfield played much of the year with multiple serious injuries.
“I did have a front row seat to one of the gutsiest, toughest performances of a quarterback playing in a season that I have ever seen, culminating the other night and how he battled his tail off to really bring us back into that game and keep us in it,” Browns backup QB Case Keenum said of Mayfield during a January 5 press conference. “I think his entire season, he was battling a lot of things. He is one of the toughest guys I know, and he is a fighter. He came to fight every single day and pushed through a lot of adversity just to get on the field on Sundays.”