The Cleveland Browns are hoping to find a suitor for Baker Mayfield before the NFL Draft, but it sounds like any deal they make is going to cost them some money.
The Browns exercised the fifth-year option on Mayfield’s rookie contract prior to last season. Because of that, the quarterback is owed a fully guaranteed $18.8 million in 2022. A trade will be challenging for several reasons, including Mayfield’s inconsistent play and the fact that rival teams know the Browns can’t keep him. That is why Cleveland will likely have to eat some of the former first overall pick’s salary.
During his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network explained what will need to happen for the Browns to trade Mayfield.
“I believe initially, at the beginning of all this, the Browns were hoping for someone to take on the salary and (give up a second-round draft pick). It’s not going to be that now,” Rapoport said. “The salary is fully guaranteed. They’re probably gonna have to eat some of it.”
Rapoport mentioned how there is precedent for a team to absorb salary in a quarterback trade. The Carolina Panthers traded Teddy Bridgewater to the Denver Broncos for a sixth-round pick prior to last year’s draft. They ate some of Bridgewater’s salary in that deal.
“My sense is the trade ends up looking similar to that … mid- to late-rounder, the Browns end up picking up some of the contract but not all of it and Baker Mayfield ends up in a new spot,” Rapoport added. “That’s a win for everyone.”
Mayfield obviously wants to start somewhere, but not many teams are looking for starters. There has been talk of him landing with the Seatle Seahawks.
The Browns want to trade Mayfield before the draft, but they may have to wait. An injury or two during training camp or the preseason could create a stronger market for Mayfield, though both he and the Browns would prefer to resolve the situation much sooner.
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