'A lot of teams' waiting for the Browns to cut Baker Mayfield?

One way or another, the Cleveland Browns will almost certainly be parting ways with quarterback Baker Mayfield after they acquired Deshaun Watson in a blockbuster and controversial trade. While Mayfield has been linked in some rumors with the Seattle Seahawks, it's widely believed no team is willing to accept the $18.858 million in fully guaranteed money attached to the 2018 first overall draft pick since it's obvious the Browns have replaced him. 

Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports reports that multiple clubs are operating as if "the Browns are going to end up approaching Mayfield about an outright release in exchange for a restructured salary in 2022." One NFC personnel man remarked at the league's annual meeting on Monday that "a lot of teams want him but aren’t going to take on the salary" and added that "they will all pounce on him once [Cleveland] has to cut him."

"They would have to eat 80 percent [of Mayfield’s salary], but they have already shown their cards," that person told Robinson. "Teams are going to sit idle and force them to cut Baker because it’s going to be an odd situation keeping him around." 

Perhaps the biggest problem for the Browns and Mayfield is that teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons are among clubs that already added quarterbacks to their rosters this offseason. The Carolina Panthers may spend pick No. 6 on a rookie signal-caller, and potential buyers such as the Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in no hurry to send any valuable assets to Cleveland for a player who is clearly surplus to requirements with his current employer. 

Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Monday he hopes Mayfield's playing future is "resolved soon." For that to happen, the Browns may have to rip the figurative bandage off and simply release the 26-year-old, especially if no team trades for him before or during next month's draft.