NFL Trade Rumors: Baker Mayfield expected to be traded on the second or third day of the draft

Baker Mayfield is likely to be moved on either Day Two or Day Three of the 2022 NFL Draft, according to Tony Pauline of the Pro Football Network. Pauline stated the Cleveland Browns QB will be moved and the frontrunners for him are the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers:

“The feeling around the league is that Baker Mayfield will be traded on the second or third day of the draft. The frontrunners always mentioned are the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks, as Trey Wingo and I spoke about last Tuesday during Draft Insiders. If the Seahawks trade back into the bottom part of Round 1 for a signal-caller, as I mentioned Friday, they’ll be out of the Mayfield sweepstakes.”

Pauline concluded his point by saying Cleveland will have to pay a hefty share of the QB’s contract once he’s dealt:

“Sources confirm what I’ve mentioned several times with Trey. The Browns will have to pay a large portion of Mayfield’s contract in 2022 after they trade him. As one source told me, the Browns will essentially be buying a draft pick.”

The former number one overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft will likely be in another uniform as the Browns traded for QB Deshaun Watson this offseason.

They gave Watson a five-year, $230 million-dollar contract, including a $44,965,000 signing bonus, $230 million guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $46 million.

Mayfield started 59 games for the Browns in his four seasons with the team. In his rookie season, he finished second in the AP NFL Rookie of the Year voting after throwing for 3,725 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in the 2018 season.

In the 2020 season, he led the Browns to the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season. Cleveland defeated their AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.

Baker Mayfield and possible suitors

Cleveland Browns v Cincinnati Bengals

As mentioned by Pauline, the Seahawks and Panthers are likely destinations, but a team like the Houston Texans could be a dark horse team.

QB Davis Mills looks set to be the Texans starter now, and the Cleveland QB could be an upgrade, and Houston has the assets to make a deal happen.

One thing seems certain: the QB will be on another team in 2022. We’ll see where the 27-year-old ends up playing his fifth season in the NFL.