Browns not yet willing to eat salary to trade QB Baker Mayfield?

Multiple knowledgeable individuals said that the Cleveland Browns may have to pay a significant portion of the $18.85 million of fully guaranteed salary owed to quarterback Baker Mayfield for the upcoming season to trade him now that they have Deshaun Watson atop the depth chart. 

Mayfield remains attached to Cleveland through the early days of May, and NFL insider Peter King recently suggested the Browns should pay 90% of the 27-year-old's salary "just to get him out of the Cleveland consciousness." 

It appears Browns general manager Andrew Berry is still in no hurry to accept that type of financial hit. 

Per Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report, ESPN's Dianna Russini reported during an appearance on "The Ryen Russillo Podcast" that the Browns are still trying to ship Mayfield and all of what's left on his deal to a would-be buyer.

"The Cleveland Browns do not want to take on that contract," Russini explained. "They don't want to pay for that. I don't know the number they're willing to go to—but the last I checked, which was about a week-and-a-half ago—they want nothing to do with that deal. If you want Baker Mayfield, you're going to pay that money. Cleveland's not going to try to split it up with you."

Russini added the Seattle Seahawks "have no interest in" Mayfield and are instead riding with 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock. It's thought Seattle and other teams could take a flier on Mayfield if he's ultimately cut by the Browns later this spring or summer.