Proposed Trade Ships Browns QB Baker Mayfield to NFC West Squad

Getty Images Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.

The Cleveland Browns have yet to find a trade partner to take on quarterback Baker Mayfield and his hefty contract, but multiple teams — including the Seattle Seahawks — have been rumored to still be probing the situation.

The Seahawks were proposed as a trade suitor for Mayfield in a recent article by Bleacher Report, which has the Browns fetching a pair of third-round picks — one in 2023 and another in 2024 — for Mayfield. Here’s what B/R’s Jake Rill had to say about the deal:

It’s hard to completely rule the Seahawks out of the Mayfield picture. They no longer have Russell Wilson, who they traded to the Denver Broncos earlier this offseason. If the season started today, then Drew Lock would likely be Seattle’s starting QB, with Geno Smith and Jacob Eason also on the depth chart.

Mayfield is better than all of those quarterbacks, and he could potentially thrive in an offense that features wide receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, as well as tight end Noah Fant. That situation could possibly allow Mayfield to take his game to another level.

Any return in a Mayfield trade is contingent on how much of his near $19 million salary the Browns are willing to take on. It’s been clear so far that teams realize the Browns have little to no leverage and aren’t willing to do Cleveland any favors.

Seahawks Have Shot Down Trade Rumors

While the Seahawks are a logical destination, head coach Pete Carroll has pushed back against rumors that they might land a quarterback via trade.

“We’re always competing,” Carroll said during a May 5 interview with Sports Radio 93.3 KJR-FM. “I’m not saying anything you didn’t think I was going to say, but fortunately that’s always been the way we’ve operated, and it fits again. So we’re looking. I don’t see us making a trade for anybody at all. I don’t see that happening. But we’re certainly going to continue to be open to chances to help our club, and meanwhile we’re just going to be battling and competing our tails off. There’s always possibilities, so we keep open to that.”

Mayfield would seemingly be a significant upgrade from Lock and Smith, despite coming off a down year.

He set the rookie touchdown record during his first season and went on to lead the Browns to their first postseason berth in nearly two decades in 2020. However, last season Mayfield tossed just 17 touchdowns to 13 interceptions, slumping down the stretch as he dealt with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder.

“I had great times my rookie year. I didn’t start in the beginning. I came in and had fun in the back half of the year. 2019 sucked. 2020 was great, made the playoffs. 2021 was miserable,” Mayfield said during an appearance on the Ya Never Know: You know What I Mean? podcast in April. “I’m just looking for stabilization right now.”

Panthers Have Not Closed Door on Baker Mayfield

While the Seahawks have not been as publicly warm on adding a quarterback, the Panthers made clear this week that they’d be open to bringing on a new passer.

“We want to have a really strong quarterback room,” coach Matt Rhule told reporters on Friday during rookie minicamp, “so I don’t think we would say no to a veteran at this point.”

The Panthers drafted Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral in the third round of this year’s draft but likely are viewing him more as a developmental quarterback. A year of Mayfield could be beneficial for both parties, with the former No. 1 overall pick being able to prove to teams he’s still got it heading into free agency.