Getty images Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.
Baker Mayfield appears poised to return as the starter at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, but if he does become available, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have done their homework.
Buccaneers beat reporter Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported that the Bucs have “done work” on the possibility of a trade if Mayfield becomes available.
“Bucs have also done work as you would expect on Baker Mayfield from an evaluation standpoint should he become available for a trade,” Stroud tweeted.
The tidbit came up in response to a tweet about Cleveland being interested in a possible trade for Deshaun Watson, who is expected to be the target of many teams as his legal situation gains more clarity.
Browns Have ‘Done Homework’ on Deshaun Watson
Watson previously requested a trade out of Houston and did not play at all last season amid 22 civil lawsuits and 10 criminal complaints by women alleging sexual assault and misconduct. A grand jury determined Friday that it would not indict Waston on criminal charges.
“It’s definitely a very emotional moment for me. I know we’re far from being done of handling what we need to handle on the legal side, but today is definitely a big day,” Watson, speaking to reporters for the first time in over a year, said at a news conference outside his lawyer’s office building. “I thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ for letting the truth be heard. And I thank everyone that was a part of this for seeing and hearing both sides. That’s what my point and my team wanted to do, is have a fair slate of us telling our side of the story and letting the conclusion come to what happened today, and that’s what the grand jury decided on.
However, Watson could still face a suspension from the NFL.
“We have been closely monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy,’’ league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday in a statement.
Multiple reports have linked the Browns to Watson and the AFC North squad has been among the many teams linked to the three-time Pro Bowler and former NFL passing leader. The Browns have “done a lot of work” on Watson and are a wild-card when it comes to a trade, per Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson.
Cleveland Browns have done a lot of work on Deshaun Watson lately and are now regarded as a wild-card entry into this expanding trade market, per a league source.
ESPN’s Kimberly Martin reported that the Browns are “definitely an interested party” when it comes to Watson, especially following their move for Amari Cooper.
Browns Have Said Mayfield Will Be Starter
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reported on March 3 that the Browns met with Mayfield’s representatives and “reinforced” plans for him to be the starter next season. Cabot added that the Browns planned to explore their options, although many of the big-name quarterbacks — like Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers — figured out their situations recently. Wilson is going to Denver while Rodgers is staying put in Green Bay.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry said that he fully expects Mayfield to start next season for the Browns, but didn’t shoot down the idea of the team exploring their options.
“I don’t know that I can really speak in detail in any [position group’s] room at this point because we’re at March 1 and day two of the combine,” Berry said at the NFL Combine. “It really is about matching resources to opportunity. This is one I’m not necessarily trying to be evasive with, but that is the truth.
“We really do look at it like it’s an expansion team, and if we have opportunities to match resources with talent, we do want to continue to add talent to the roster, and that applies to every position.”
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Buccaneers Investigating Trade for Browns QB Baker Mayfield