The Cleveland Browns’ acquisition of Deshaun Watson signaled that Baker Mayfield’s tenure with the franchise was coming to an end.
At this point, the only thing up in the air is precisely how Mayfield will depart Cleveland.
Initially, because of his age and sporadic success with the Browns, there was optimism that Mayfield would be traded.
Unfortunately, the Browns’ asking price proved to be too high.
According to Sports Illustrated, the asking price for Mayfield presently is a first-round draft pick. That’s a lot. Understandably, the market for that sort of demanded compensation has been slim. The one squad Mayfield actually wanted to go to quickly moved on – and now there is a very real question regarding what happens next.
This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers emerged as a possible suitor for Mayfield. But under one very specific condition.
“The Steelers will pounce on Baker Mayfield if he becomes available,” NFL insider Mary Kay Cabot said on the “Orange and Brown Talk” podcast.
“Like if they cut him and he’s just out there as a street free agent, [the Steelers] would take him in a minute. And I’m sure a lot of people would. If you could get him for nothing, and the Browns have to eat that money, then certainly somebody would go grab him in that scenario.”
Given that on Tuesday yet another team rejected the prospect of acquiring Mayfield, the Browns are quickly running out of options here.
Mayfield is not as bad a player as this situation is making him out to be. He is at the very least a serviceable NFL quarterback, and it’s stunning that the market has dried up for him so quickly and so severely.
Where will Mayfield ultimately land when it’s all said and done? Time will tell.
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