Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

NFL writer predicts Seahawks will acquire Baker Mayfield

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Apr 27, 2022 6:51 PM ET

Perhaps the wackiest portion of the so-called "silly season" of the NFL calendar occurs in the weeks, days, and even hours before the draft begins. Situations change in the blink of an eye, and those with inside information are often left guessing about what could be to come as rookies prepare for their first steps into the league.

On Wednesday, Marc Sessler of NFL Network shared multiple so-called "locks" for what will take place during the upcoming player-selection process. One of Sessler's predictions is that the Seattle Seahawks will send a fourth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has lost his job to Deshaun Watson but is still owed $18.858 million of fully guaranteed salary for 2022:

The most anticipated moment of draft season is finally here

It’s @MarcSessler’s annual Mock Draft! And introducing a new element, 10 LOCKS

Listen now: https://t.co/37db5NQkuj pic.twitter.com/RGu50OHPw2
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) April 27, 2022

As of a couple of weeks ago, the Seahawks reportedly weren't willing "to give up much" for the 2018 first overall draft pick who is now surplus to requirements in Cleveland. It was then said on Tuesday that Seattle still didn't "sound overly eager" to make a deal with the Browns and could instead keep 2019 second-round selection Drew Lock atop the depth chart through at least the end of this year's draft.

Somewhat interestingly, Sessler does not believe Cleveland will have to package Mayfield with a draft pick to get him off the books. For a piece published Tuesday, The Athletic's Zac Jackson wrote "it still seems likely that the Browns will have to pay a large portion of Mayfield’s salary" if they don't include a draft choice in a trade for the signal-caller's services.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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