Browns GM Andrew Berry in no rush to trade, cut QB Baker Mayfield

Shortly after the Cleveland Browns officially completed a blockbuster yet controversial trade with the Houston Texans for star quarterback Deshaun Watson, it was reported that Cleveland preferred to unload former starter Baker Mayfield to any would-be buyer "as soon as possible." In addition, it was relayed that "the Browns aren’t seeking a first-round pick" for the top selection from the 2018 NFL Draft. 

The Browns later signed journeyman veteran Jacoby Brissett, and head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters at the league's annual meetings on Monday he hopes Mayfield's situation is "resolved soon." However, general manager Andrew Berry suggested on Tuesday he's embracing patience regarding the future of the 26-year-old signal-caller. 

"I wouldn’t say we have a specific timetable for the QB room," Berry explained, according to Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "Baker is a professional, he’s under contract, and we have the [cap] flexibility whether he’s on the roster or not. So we don’t really feel pressed to rush into anything that’s suboptimal."

Mayfield is currently owed $18.858 million in fully guaranteed money for the last season of his rookie contract. That fact along with the knowledge that he is surplus to requirements in Cleveland has many believing other teams are waiting to see if the Browns will either cut him or package him with a draft pick to dump his salary in a trade. 

"The reality of it is, quarterbacks are valuable," Berry added when asked about possibly going down either of those routes. "Baker’s a good player and you can’t have enough good players on your roster. We’ve already planned to make it work and we’ll just see how the next few weeks ago, the next few months go."

On Monday, Mike Kaye of Pro Football Network noted that "the Browns’ best opportunity to move on from Mayfield might be during or after the NFL Draft" and "if a team strikes out on landing their desired QB prospect." It sounds as if Berry could be prepared to take part in a waiting game up through the player-selection process that gets underway on April 28.