For weeks it has been assumed that the Cleveland Browns‘ most likely trade partner for quarterback Baker Mayfield is the Seattle Seahawks, but a deep dive into an NFC South squad’s new offense has shed light on what Mayfield might be able to accomplish there as a bridge signal caller.
The Carolina Panthers dumped offensive coordinator Joe Brady 12 games into the 2021 season, as head coach Matt Rhule made him the scapegoat for an offense that finished dead last among the NFL’s 32 teams, per Pro Football Reference. Likely on the hot seat himself and responsible for a disastrous trade for former New York Jets QB Sam Darnold, Rhule has turned to former New York Giants offensive coordinator and head coach Ben McAdoo to get the Panthers’ offense back on track.
Ellis Williams of The Charlotte Observer on Wednesday, April 13, authored a deep dive into Mayfield’s potential fit with the Panthers in the context of McAdoo’s offensive scheme, noting its similarities to the one Mayfield ran during what proved a historic rookie year for the quarterback in Cleveland.
During Mayfield’s rookie season, the Browns fired head coach Hue Jackson and named then running backs coach Freddie Kitchens interim head coach and play-caller. Mayfield responded by setting the rookie passing touchdown record (27, which was broken two years later by Justin Herbert’s 31). He and Kitchens (aided by a soft defensive schedule) blended nicely together at first.
Playing in Kitchens’ system is an example of what Mayfield would look like under McAdoo. Mayfield regressed in 2021 largely because he played with a torn labrum, which he suffered in Week 2 against the [Houston] Texans. But there were also major disagreements about the offense between Mayfield and head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Under McAdoo, Mayfield would play in a system similar to what Kitchens ran. He’d be in shotgun more often, play uptempo and be allowed more freedom to pick his matchups either outside the numbers or underneath.
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NFL Draft Week May Be Window For Browns To Move Mayfield
GettyQuarterback Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns looks on after a play during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The window for a deal between the Browns and the Panthers, or any team interested in Mayfield, appears more and more likely to open during the week of the NFL Draft, which is scheduled to begin on Thursday, April 28.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network appeared on the Pat McAfee Show Wednesday to speak about Mayfield’s situation, going into some detail about what the inter-workings of a deal between Cleveland and Carolina for the quarterback might look like.
“It just makes sense. Let’s say you’re the Carolina Panthers and you want someone to compete with Sam Darnold, you’d like someone for the future, you want to just improve the quarterback room your options are: take, let’s, say Malik Willis at No. 6, or Kenny Pickett, or trade for Baker Mayfield. But you’ve got to make a decision,” Rapoport said.
“So if you don’t trade for Baker Mayfield, then maybe you’re taking a quarterback. If you do trade for Baker Mayfield … your quarterback room is set for this year only and then you take the best position player you can, maybe a tackle, and then you move forward,” Rapoport continued. “So we’re going to get something on draft day.”
Seahawks Sign Former Starting QB To One-Year Deal Thursday
Getty ImagesQuarterback Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.
Ellis’s assessment of how Mayfield would fit in with the Panthers’ new offense is encouraging, particularly because the Seahawks on Thursday brought back their best QB not named Russell Wilson from the 2021 season, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Smith, 31, started three games for the Seahawks last season while compiling a career-high 103.0 passer rating with 5 TDs and 1 INT.
“Breaking: FA QB Geno Smith is re-signing with the #Seahawks, per source,” Schultz tweeted. “Smith, 31, started three games for the Seahawks last season while compiling a career-high 103.0 passer rating with 5 TDs and 1 INT.”
Smith joins former Denver Broncos signal caller Drew Lock on the Seahawks’ depth chart along with Jacob Eason, per ESPN. None of those three players have ever been as successful in the NFL as Mayfield was during his rookie year or during the 2020 season, when he led the Browns to their first playoff victory in more than a quarter century.
However, Seattle saw fit to offer Smith a $7 million contract next season — a significant raise that recognizes the competence he showed when he had the opportunity to step onto the field.
The Seahawks’ signing of Smith does not preclude a trade for Mayfield, though the Panthers fit as a backup option offers some secondary security. However, Ellis did note that multiple NFL experts believe Carolina would be more interested in San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo than they would be in Mayfield should the Niners signal caller materialize as a legitimate trade option this offseason.
Browns QB Mayfield Trade Candidate For NFC Squad’s New Offense: Report