“The Browns think they are smarter than the rest of the league” - NFL analyst gives take on Cleveland's failed efforts to move Baker Mayfield

The Cleveland Browns and their failed attempts to trade quarterback Baker Mayfield were discussed on the Fox Sports 1 show The Herd with Colin Cowherd. News update anchor Joy Taylor said that Cleveland thinks they are smarter than the rest of the NFL and that the team lost all of their leverage when they traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson:

“I think that the Browns think they are smarter than the rest of the league. They should have traded Baker before they ever brought in Deshaun Watson. The moment that you brought in Deshaun Watson and you paid him $230 million guaranteed, it's more than writing on the wall that you're done with Baker Mayfield. You've given up all of your leverage.”

The Browns traded for Watson, essentially replacing Mayfield as the team’s starting quarterback entering this upcoming season.

Later, Cleveland gave the former Houston Texans quarterback a five-year, $230 million-dollar contract, including a $44,965,000 signing bonus, $230 million guaranteed, and an average yearly salary of $46 million.

Watson will get a base salary of $1,035,000 and a signing bonus of $44,965,000 while carrying a cap hit of $10,028,000 and a dead cap value of $230 million for the 2022 season.

As for Mayfield, he’s set to get a base salary of $18,858,000 while possessing a cap hit of $18,858,000 and a dead cap value of $18,858,000. Cleveland exercised their fifth-year option in Mayfield's nearly $19 million contract in April 2021.

For Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry, the question is: what do you do with the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft? While keeping him on the roster this season seems very unlikely, trading or cutting Mayfield are the possible options for Berry. Both options will have a price tag of $18,858,000 attached to them.

Baker Mayfield and his time with the Browns

Cleveland Browns v New England Patriots

Mayfield has started 59 games for Cleveland in four seasons. Last season, he started 14 games, throwing for 3,010 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

He played through a labrum tear in his left shoulder in Week 2 of the 2021 season against the Houston Texans.

The quarterback missed Cleveland’s final game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals to have surgery on the left shoulder labrum tear. The 27-year-old requested to be traded in March. We’ll see where Mayfield lands as this offseason continues.