Getty Quarterback Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield still isn’t quite sure what happened at the end of his time with the organization.
The Browns drafted Mayfield No. 1 overall in 2018 and billed him as the future of the franchise. That future lasted only four years, despite beginning on a couple of high notes.
It started with a rookie passing record of 27 touchdowns, which Justin Herbert broke a couple seasons later, and Cleveland’s first playoff win in 26 years. It ended with a public spat between Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. (as well as his father), a shoulder injury and the Browns’ decision to sign QB Deshaun Watson to a $230 million fully-guaranteed contract.
Mayfield, who won the Heisman Trophy at the University of Oklahoma, joined the Pat McAfee Show on Friday, October 6, ahead of the annual Red River Showdown pitting OU against rival Texas University. McAfee said he was confused about Mayfield’s ending in Cleveland, a sentiment with which the quarterback agreed.
We were very confused how your time ended with the Browns..
“I think I’m still confused too 😂😂
I was excited to get surgery, get healthy & get back to my 2020 form but that wasn’t their plan..
I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason” @bakermayfield #PMSLive
“I think I’m still confused, too,” Mayfield responded. “I think towards the end there — and I played 2021 with a pretty much torn apart shoulder — I was excited to get the surgery, get healthy and get another shot to try and get back to that 2020 form. But that wasn’t their plan, and I’m a firm believer everything happens for a reason.”
Baker Mayfield Describes ‘Roller Coaster’ He Went on After Departing Cleveland
GettyQuarterback Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A few months after signing Watson, Cleveland traded Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers for a fifth-round pick. Mayfield played in seven games there, starting six, before Carolina waived him in December 2022.
The Los Angeles Rams claimed Mayfield off waivers the next day. The QB played five games in L.A., starting four of those. All told, Mayfield went 2-8 as a starter the year after departing Cleveland, playing for injured and otherwise bad teams over that span.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Mayfield to a one-year, $4 million deal in March to compete for the starting job, which he won during the preseason over 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask. Mayfield may have already earned a contract extension in Tampa after leading the team to a 3-1 start and the NFC South Division lead through the first quarter of the campaign.
The former Browns QB spoke about the “roller coaster” ride he’s been on since Cleveland gave him his walking papers nearly 15 months ago.
“The roller coaster I went on after that was a little bit nuts for me,” Mayfield said. “It gave me good perspective. Being in Carolina, trying to be a good mentor to a couple guys and just a different perspective on it — take a step back, be a good leader. Then going to L.A. it was like, alright, looking at each other, ‘We’ve got a five-game season here, let’s make the most of it and pad the resumé.'”
Baker Mayfield Has Been Better than Deshaun Watson Since Swapping Spots with Browns
GettyQuarterback Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns has struggled since joining the team.
Cleveland has made a lot of moves and spent a lot of money to turn itself into a contender in a difficult AFC, and the Dawg Pound has reasons to be optimistic — though Watson’s play isn’t one of them.
Since Mayfield joined the Rams, he has played in nine NFL games and started eight. Since Watson came off suspension last season, he has played in nine games and started all of them. At this point, Mayfield has been the better quarterback.
The two have thrown for almost the exact same number of yards (1,732 for Mayfield and 1,780 for Watson) and the same number of passing touchdowns with 11 each. However, Mayfield has been the more accurate passer by far and has fewer interceptions (4) than Watson (7) over that span.
Mayfield has been particularly good this season, completing nearly 70% of his passes for 882 yards, 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions through four games, per Pro Football Reference. He has also rushed the ball 23 times for 61 yards on the year.
Watson was a three-time Pro Bowler before off-field issues kept him sidelined for nearly two full years. The QB showed something of a return to form in Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans when he completed 27-of-33 passes for 289 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, Watson injured his shoulder during that game and missed the team’s Week-4 home loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
The Browns are on a bye this weekend and will return in Week 6 to face the undefeated San Francisco 49ers in Cleveland.