'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Baker Mayfield has put the Cleveland Browns in an incredibly difficult position. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick opened the season without a new contract and said he was going to prove his value. Instead, he has played hurt all season and rumors have emerged of the Browns moving on.
Russell Wilson is one huge name that could be on the move this offseason. The Seattle Seahawks could opt for a total rebuild and could do Wilson a favor by trading him elsewhere.
Wilson has not expressed interest in joining the Browns, but should the team try to get a deal done?
Swapping Baker Mayfield for Russell Wilson would be huge for the Browns
Mayfield threw four interceptions on Christmas against the Green Bay Packers, and the Browns still nearly won the game. That is thanks to a dominant defense and a stellar running game.
Getting Wilson would finally give the Browns the Pro Bowl quarterback they have been seeking for years. He could maximize the talents of everyone around him and there would be no questions about his talent or his ceiling. The Browns know exactly what they would be getting.
The question is whether Wilson would want to play in Cleveland. The organization has gone through years of dysfunction, and if he has a say in his next destination, heading to Cleveland may not be at the top of his wish list.
Wilson is 33 years old and is going to want to go somewhere and chase a Super Bowl right away. If the Browns can band together and reach the postseason, that should prove to Wilson that the team is simply missing him.
The Browns have already picked up Mayfield's fifth-year option. But they could trade him to Seattle or even somewhere else if Wilson were to become a real possibility. He may end up being a great fit in another town. Sometimes a change of scenery really can make a difference.
However, Mayfield has shown consistent regression since 2018 and has only had 15 touchdowns, along with 11 interceptions, this season. He is hurt, but he is also saying he is healthy enough to play. If he is playing, then he must be judged like any other quarterback.
One scenario for Cleveland is bringing in another quarterback to compete with Mayfield in training camp. Yet someone of Wilson's caliber would show up as the starter and would mean Mayfield has to go.
The Cleveland front office cannot pass up on the chance to land a top talent like Wilson, even at his current age. They can accept that Mayfield just didn't work out and can maximize their championship window without committing well over $200 million to a quarterback.
Browns fans on social media are already divided over this possibility. But it is hard to argue that Wilson is not an upgrade over Mayfield. The problem may be mortgaging the future in terms of draft capital in a trade just to land Wilson.
That may just be what it takes for the Browns to finally land a quarterback who can help them compete for a Super Bowl.
