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The Cleveland Browns-Baker Mayfield saga hasn't reached a resolution. Cleveland acquired Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson via a blockbuster trade, casting doubt on Mayfield's future with the teams. There's still no progress on a trade or future with Mayfield.
As soon as the Browns said they wanted a grown-up at quarterback, the relationship between Mayfield and the team ended.
Skip Bayless talked about the current state between the Browns and Mayfield while speaking with his co-hose Shannon Sharpe on Undisputed, citing that teams are laughing at Cleveland right now.
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Bayless said:
"Pay him...you're gonna have to pay the freight. Because I believe the entire league or at least those even mildly interested in Baker, that they're sitting back right now chuckling at the Cleveland Browns because they know what you just said is so true. They're stuck, man. They just bet the sun and the moon and the ranch and the future on Deshawn. But it puts them in a position of zero advantageous bargaining power. You got no leverage."
Bayless added that Mayfield is set on where he'd like to be traded to.
Bayless said:
"But the point is, they're all just gonna chuckle, and I thought it was very interesting. Both Jake Trotter, who covers for ESPN, and, I think, Mary Kay Cabot, also the best source in Cleveland, are there. They're both very good, right? I don't mean to demean Jake (there). But Jake reported that Baker is of a mind that he already is dead set on where he wants to go. And if they trade him somewhere he doesn't want to go, he'll make waves, and we know he is capable of making waves."
The Cleveland Browns regret picking up Baker Mayfield's 5th-year option after acquiring Deshaun Watson
After the 2020-2021 season, the Cleveland Browns decided to pick up the fifth-year option at Baker Mayfield.
When players reach the end of their rookie contracts, teams have the option of picking up their fifth-year option, which is a set price on their salary cap for the following season. While picking up Mayfield's fifth-year option, the Browns will carry a $18.8 million cap hit if Mayfield remains on their roster this season.
Mayfield played with a partially torn labrum. He had been injured during Week 2 in the Browns' game against the Houston Texans. He continued to play with this injury until the Week 6 game against the Arizona Cardinals. He would go on to miss the Week 7 game against the Denver Broncos. In Week 10, he suffered a right knee contusion. After Week 17, Mayfield underwent surgery on his torn labrum. This effectively ended his season. In 2021, he threw for 3,010 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 14 games played.
Now that Cleveland has their franchise quarterback in Watson, they're trying to get rid of Mayfield and his costly $18.8 million hit.
