Getty Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns talks with head coach Kevin Stefanski during the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
The race for Deshaun Watson has been heating up and the three-time Pro Bowler may have a new home as soon as Wednesday night. The Philadelphia Eagles may or may not be in on those trade conversations, according to conflicting reports.
Watson is the best quarterback available, but the price tag is very high. Which got some people on Twitter thinking: if the Eagles are truly interested in acquiring a new signal-caller, then why not call about Baker Mayfield? The Cleveland Browns let it leak that they are pursuing Watson, causing Mayfield to post what reads like a farewell message to the franchise that drafted him. He appears ready for a change of scenery.
“I have given this franchise everything I have,” Mayfield wrote. “That is something I’ve always done at every stage, and at every level. And that will not change wherever I take my next stop.”
With many uncertainties, here is where my head and heart is.
The 26-year-old could provide interesting competition for Jalen Hurts in training camp. But what would the Browns want in return for Mayfield? It would be less than what the Houston Texans want for Watson. They want at least three first-round picks.
The Eagles are interested in Baker Mayfield
Mayfield is coming off his worst statistical season: 3,010 passing yards, with 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. And the former No. 1 overall pick has one year left on his rookie deal valued at $18.8 million. That’s a lot of money to spend on a lame-duck quarterback.
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Eagles Twitter Reacts to Wild Trade Rumors
The Mayfield to Philly rumors were trending on Twitter on Wednesday, with varying degrees of credibility. SportsRadio 94WIP’s Jon Johnson posed the simple question: “Would Howie go Mayfield route?” He quickly answered his own question.
It appears Mayfield is 🗑
Others had much stronger opinions. The Liberty Line brought up Roseman’s “quarterback factory” comment, adding that the Eagles could get Mayfield for “pennies on the dollar.”
“There’s no guarantee the Eagles would have to give up Jalen Hurts to get him either,” they wrote. “It’s entirely possible we could have a two-headed monster Quarterback attack! Imagine that.”
Pictured: people’s reaction when I drop my hot “Baker Mayfield to the Eagles” takes.
Are the wheels already in motion? The Sixers were playing the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Wednesday night, an unrelated scheduling note that only intensified the rumors.
The general consensus seemed to be that Philly isn’t the best place to repair a slightly broken quarterback like Mayfield. It didn’t work for Carson Wentz. Or Mark Sanchez before him. More importantly, Hurts was a significantly better quarterback than Mayfield last season.
People complained about Hurts’ ability as a passer leading the Eagles to be a run first offense yet want Baker Mayfield? The Baker Mayfield from the 4th best running team? Who couldn’t make it work with OBJ? Couldn’t do better as a passer with Landry, Njoku, & Hooper? This one?:
Former Eagle Thinks Watson Lands in Philly
Former offensive tackle Barrett Brooks can picture Deshaun Watson in a midnight green uniform. In fact, the current analyst for Eagles Postgame Live cited information from a “source in the know” about Watson heading to Philadelphia in a trade. Brooks said the deal would include all three of the Eagles first-round draft picks.
“The source I heard this from is tied-in, and I mean tied-in to the organization,” Brooks said, via Bleeding Green Nation. “There’s no question the deal will involve all three first-round draft picks, and talking to the source, Howie Roseman (the Eagles’ general manager) does his homework and is willing to take risks.”
“The problem is… they’re not taught to [read defenses]…” – @bbrooks72nbcs on college QBs entering the NFL
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