From becoming drafted 1st to dumped in 4 decades, Baker Mayfield’s wild four-yr journey in Cleveland is about.
The No 1 over-all pick in 2018, Mayfield was traded Wednesday by the Browns, who moved on from the divisive quarterback months back and ultimately despatched him to the Carolina Panthers for a long run draft select.
Mayfield, who was pushed out of his starting job amid the Browns’ pursuit of Deshaun Watson, is likely to Carolina for a conditional draft pick in 2024 or 2025.
The Browns are paying $10.5m of Mayfield’s $18.8m contract for future period, two people today acquainted with the negotiations instructed the Associated Push. The Panthers will pay back $4.8m and Mayfield will get a $3.5m pay out minimize, stated the folks, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the fact the trade just cannot be finalized until finally Mayfield passes a actual physical.
On the other hand, the trade was declared by the Panthers, who will host the Browns in the coming season’s opener – with Mayfield’s addition spicing up the matchup.
Mayfield’s time with the Browns effectively ended in March when the workforce traded 3 initially-spherical alternatives and six in general to the Houston Texans for Watson, who is going through a probable suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct plan.
Watson has been accused of sexual misconduct by two dozen massage therapists in Texas.
Mayfield, who performed most of final time with a still left shoulder harm, felt betrayed by Cleveland’s move for Watson, demanded a trade and then experienced to wait around until finally the Browns located a crew both equally intrigued in him and willing to take on his salary.
Browns proprietors Dee and Jimmy Haslam thanked Mayfield for his contributions.
“From the instant he was drafted, he gave his all for this business and this city,” they said. “With his intense competitive spirit, he thrilled the fanbase and achieved matters that no participant at his position had finished in Cleveland for a extremely long time. He also made a difference in the group, irrespective of whether it was web hosting activities at the Boys and Girls Club, honoring our troops, supporting the Distinctive Olympics as very well as countless other charitable endeavors.”
The 27-12 months-aged will compete for Carolina’s starting up QB job with Sam Darnold, who was taken two picks after Mayfield in 2018.
The Panthers, who have not designed the playoffs due to the fact 2017, have been exploring for steadiness at the quarterback placement at any time considering that head coach Matt Rhule was hired in 2020. They also took a operate at Watson just before he chose Cleveland.
Mayfield’s 4 many years with the Browns involved much less unforgettable moments than distracting ones as he couldn’t close the team’s prolonged search for a franchise QB.
The stint was full of highs and lows, coaching adjustments, as well considerably drama and not approximately sufficient wins.
Previous Browns basic supervisor John Dorsey was enamored with Mayfield’s expertise and swayed by his swagger, choosing the Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma initially despite other selections, together with Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.
Mayfield began his rookie time as Tyrod Taylor’s backup ahead of coming off the bench in 7 days 3 and rallying the Browns to their first win in 635 times, a 21-17 victory in excess of the New York Jets on nationwide Tv set.
Mayfield wound up passing for 3,725 yards and throwing 27 touchdown passes as a rookie, breaking the NFL history for a initially-12 months quarterback. For the initial time in years, there was genuine hope for a floundering franchise that has had 32 setting up QBs considering that 1999.
Nonetheless, Mayfield’s second time was a key setback. He threw virtually as a lot of interceptions (21) as touchdowns (22) and seemed to be on a diverse page of the playbook than star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Cleveland went 6-10 and fired coach Freddie Kitchens.
Mayfield also routinely squared off with commentators criticizing his engage in and sparred with regional reporters. His immaturity showed specially on social media, the place he usually posted rebukes to detractors.
The 2020 season signaled a turnaround as Mayfield led the Browns back again to relevance with their very first postseason appearance because 2003. He thrived in initially-yr mentor Kevin Stefanski’s offense, throwing 20 TD passes and just 3 interceptions in his very last 12 games.
Mayfield directed a playoff win – the Browns’ very first given that 1994 – over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on 10 January 2021, and arrived inside minutes of acquiring Cleveland to the AFC championship activity a 7 days later right before dropping at Kansas Town.
The resurgence induced Tremendous Bowl predictions for the Browns in the 2021-22 season and speculation they would indicator Mayfield to a very long-expression contract.
Neither came shut to occurring.
Just after dropping the hyped time opener to the Chiefs, the game’s final result made the decision when Mayfield threw a late interception, he endured a torn left shoulder labrum the following week while attempting to make a deal with.
The injury worsened when he was sacked by Arizona’s JJ Watt a number of months later, and Mayfield never located his rhythm the relaxation of the period. Beckham pressured his way off the roster and the Browns stumbled to a 8-9 complete and skipped the playoffs.
Mayfield also lifted eyebrows by publicly questioning Stefanski’s enjoy-contacting.
Mayfield sat out the finale and had surgical procedure before long following. Browns basic manager Andrew Berry reported he envisioned Mayfield to bounce back again as the team’s starter in 2022, but almost everything improved with the pursuit of Watson.
In recent months, as Watson’s authorized entanglement dragged on, there experienced been speculation the Browns could turn to Mayfield. But the quarterback recently explained he didn’t consider a reconciliation was feasible.
They were being completed with him long ago.
