The Detroit Lions seemingly have their quarterback plan set for the 2022 season with Jared Goff, Tim Boyle and possibly a rookie in the third spot, but that hasn’t stopped folks from dreaming of bolder moves.
This year’s quarterback carousel is spinning firmly, and while the Lions seem to be on the outside looking in, not everybody is sure that should be the case. Specifically, many people believe the team should be looking to upgrade, and one of the hottest names that could be on the market is Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.
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Mayfield has watched as Cleveland has gone all-in on attempting to replace him with Deshaun Watson this offseason, and as a result, might have decided he was finished with the Browns. In the event that a trade takes place, there’s been plenty of spots rumored for the quarterback, from Indianapolis to Seattle. One locale that hasn’t been mentioned is Detroit, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wants to make sure that is no longer the case.
Florio threw the Lions out as a potential team that would make sense for a Mayfield trade in a piece, and explained he believes the reasoning has to do with the fact that Mayfield’s former general manager in Cleveland was John Dorsey, and he is now occupying a role in the Detroit front office. As a result, there could be a friendly landing spot in Detroit for the potentially frustrated quarterback.
Specifically, Florio believes the Lions could get some good football out of Mayfield because his “mindset and attitude mesh with the current mindset and attitude in Detroit, courtesy of coach Dan Campbell and executive Chris Spielman. Mayfield has the moxie, the edge that the Lions have lacked at the quarterback position for decades. Maybe all the way back to Bobby Layne.”
Florio does admit that Goff’s presence could be troublesome as it relates to getting a deal done given his contract situation, but says that Goff is not the answer for the team and thus, pushes them to find a way to make the financials work in this case.
Would Cleveland actually trade Mayfield? So far, there might not be any indications of that, and the team could try to work out a resolution with the quarterback now that they are out of the Watson sweepstakes.
If Mayfield’s feelings are hurt and the relationship is beyond repair, however, trade calls will likely have to be made. That could leave the
Mayfield’s Stats & Highlights
Since coming into the league in 2018 out of Oklahoma as a Heisman Trophy winner, Mayfield has played solidly for Cleveland, and has helped shatter some past records which many folks believed would never be broken by the Browns. Notably, Mayfield won Cleveland’s first playoff game in 23 years in 2021 when he beat Pittsburgh on the road. Aside from that, his statistics have been up and down in his career. Mayfield has put up 14,125 passing yards, 92 touchdowns and 54 interceptions. Here’s a look at some of his best work on the field so far in the pros:
There’s no question Mayfield is a talented player. There’s also no question he has a few holes in his game and things that can be improved upon. Whether or not the Browns want to move on remains to be seen, but if they do, the Lions could well be a team that gets a call thanks mostly to the Dorsey connection and their perceived future needs at the spot.
How Mayfield Could Fit Into Lions’ Offseason Plan
It seems like a bit of a stretch that the Lions would cough anything up for Mayfield and upset the apple cart in Detroit, especially considering the team has Goff in the mix and he played solidly down the stretch in 2021. Even though that is the case, the team could look to explore an upgrade at the position in the future. Mayfield is a young quarterback that could have upside, and Dorsey could have the book on him.
With that in mind, the 2022 NFL draft is probably the way the Lions look at to improve the position in 2022. There are plenty of options for the team there, and that’s especially true after the Senior Bowl as well as the NFL combine. During the pre-draft process, the Lions have seen the likes of Kenny Pickett, Sam Howell, Willis, Matt Corral and Desmond Ridder excel. Any of those players could be early picks for the team, and while some make more sense than others, the Lions could conceivably roll the dice on one of these names if they are happy with how they can develop. With Tim Boyle back in the fold as backup, the Lions could select one of these players and keep him as a third quarterback for this year.
A better bet here is the Lions stay put with Goff and look at upgrading the position in the draft for the future behind him. Regardless of that, though, it will not stop the rumor mill from churning this offseason, and Mayfield’s name could be the biggest to swirl in Detroit for obvious reasons.
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Analyst Makes Strong Case for Baker Mayfield Trade to Lions