“Shipped him to an even bigger mess” - Skip Bayless questions Baker Mayfield’s sanity after surrendering salary to join Panthers

Baker Mayfield started this month as a member of the Cleveland Browns but is now set to join the Carolina Panthers.

Most pundits are simply relieved to be done speculating on where the quarterback will be going. However, Mayfield's story continues and many have provided their opinions on the ultimate decision made by the team and quarterback.

One NFL analyst was shocked by the quarterback's decision to forgo millions to smooth out the deal between the Panthers and Browns, making the trade a reality.

Speaking on the "Undisputed Podcast," Skip Bayless appeared to openly question Mayfield's decision-making process. The latter seemingly arrived at the conclusion that it would be good for him to take a paycut to leave for what Bayless saw as a worse franchise.

The analyst said:

"What the hell just happened here? Baker Mayfield just ate almost $4 million worth of salary, turning it into incentives that must be returned to get to Carolina...?"

Bayless added:

"My initial gut reaction that I immediately tweeted was Cleveland just shipped Baker Mayfield to the worst situation they could have shipped him to [and] an even bigger mess than the Cleveland Browns."

He continued, explaining that ESPN agreed with him in ranking the team last in the league:

"The Carolina Panthers in the latest ESPN power ranking ranked dead last 32nd. It was as if Cleveland said 'Let's send him there so he can't come back and haunt us.' And yet it starts to come clear [that] Baker wanted to go to Carolina. Why would he want to go?"

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Baker Mayfield's career

Baker Mayfield (left) reacts after a Cleveland Browns match.

With Baker Mayfield's time in Cleveland now over, his time with the team has essentially been locked in stone.

It all began in 2018 when he was drafted first overall by a team on the heels of a 1-31 skid. According to Pro Football Reference, in his rookie year, he led the team to a 6-7 record, throwing for 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

In 2019, the quarterback took a step back but still brought six wins to the franchise. He went 6-10, throwing 22 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.

In 2020, with the pressure mounting, Mayfield jumped to a 11-5 record while recording a playoff win and career-best stats. Over the course of the season, he threw for 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

In 2021, the Browns quarterback was seen by some to have Super Bowl potential. Instead, the team went 6-8 on his watch and failed to make the playoffs.

Fans will be quick to point out that the quarterback played with injuries for most of the year, but the Browns did not want to make excuses. They traded for Deshaun Watson and with Mayfield being shipped, the transition seems to be complete.