Browns could be forced to release Baker Mayfield if Panthers trade doesn't materialize  

The Cleveland Browns remain stuck with Baker Mayfield just days before the start of the 2022 NFL Draft. This is a time when quarterback-needy teams all around the league either make a move for a starter or have plans to get one in the draft.

Chatter surrounding the former No. 1 pick has all but died down, given the fact that so many teams made moves for a quarterback this offseason. Yet one team that stood pat was the Carolina Panthers.

They have Sam Darnold, who is in a similar situation to Mayfield -- both former top picks are playing on fifth-year options in 2022. That would make for a complicated situation in Carolina, yet rumors have pointed toward the team being a likely trade partner for the Browns.

Unfortunately for Cleveland, NFL insider Ian Rapoport revealed the Panthers are in no rush to swing a deal.

Rapoport explained how the Panthers are unlikely to make any such move before the first round. That makes sense, given they may have their sights set on a rookie at No. 6 overall.

So what happens if the Panthers decide they want nothing to do with Mayfield?

Browns may have to accept the inevitable with Baker Mayfield

Cincinnati Bengals v Cleveland Browns

The most likely scenario then becomes an outright release, allowing the former Browns starting quarterback to become a free agent and sign anywhere in the NFL. Cleveland would pay him nearly $19 million to go away.

Yet the team will likely be in no rush to do so. The problem is that waiting may not change anything.

The Panthers pulling out of the Mayfield sweepstakes leaves the Seattle Seahawks as the only realistic option for the quarterback. The Detroit Lions are also an option, but they are still paying a fortune to Jared Goff and could take a rookie in the draft as well.

Aside from that, teams around the NFL may be waiting it out to see if he hits free agency. He could then sign a small deal since the Browns already owe him so much money.

The only realistic way a trade to a team like the Panthers could go down this week is if Cleveland agrees to take on a big portion of his 2022 salary. The Panthers could then even draft a young quarterback while carrying both Mayfield and Darnold on the roster. That scenario does sound a bit like total chaos, but Matt Rhule needs to consider all options to keep his job after two losing seasons.

The Browns crafted this situation with the way they handled the Deshaun Watson pursuit. Relying on the Panthers to get out of it is not a wise strategy and may lead to extra headaches when a release can solve their problem and allow the entire organization to move forward in a new direction.