Deshaun Watson is the new quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. When the franchise decided to make the seismic shift to the polarizing Watson, it also meant that Baker Mayfield was out of a job. Finding a new home for Mayfield could prove quite difficult for the Browns.
There is no room left in Cleveland for Mayfield, who (rightly) demanded a trade. The problem facing both Mayfield and the Browns is finding a destination where No. 6 can go right away. The NFL’s quarterback musical chairs music is ending and there aren’t enough seats left for Mayfield to sit in anymore.
It’s been a crazy offseason for quarterbacks. Seattle and Russell Wilson broke up like a boy band that outgrew their carefully choreographed dance steps, with Wilson landing in Denver. Carson Wentz got exiled to Washington from Indianapolis after he kept playing the wrong note for the Colts. Now the Colts have imported Matt Ryan as the new lead singer for their group.
The Texans didn’t want anything to do with Mayfield in the return package for Watson. The Colts opted for what’s left of Ryan, who turns 37 in May and has thrown over 8,000 career passes, instead of their rumored interest in acquiring Mayfield. Atlanta is moving quickly on Marcus Mariota, based on some dot-connecting reports. The Saints, a possible landing spot for Watson and subsequently Mayfield, just inked Jameis Winston to a new deal that is enough of a level of commitment that they’re out of the Baker business.
There just aren’t that many places that need a quarterback right now. Even with what’s widely perceived as a weak draft class, the demand for quarterbacks to fill the musical chairs simply isn’t very strong. And that’s doubly true for Mayfield, who is simultaneously recovering from major (non-throwing) shoulder surgery and a public image debacle that he created for himself with his inability to stop talking or tweeting.
There are chairs left in Seattle, Carolina, and (maybe) Pittsburgh, though the Steelers did sign Mitchell Trubisky for up to $27 million over the next two years. The concept of Pittsburgh fans having to dance with the reviled Mayfield might make for some schadenfreude boogying in Cleveland, but it’s not really feasible. Seattle picked up Drew Lock from Denver in the Wilson trade and seems inclined to at least see what they’ve got before yanking the chair out from under the 2019 second-round pick.
The Panthers? They already traded for the man selected one spot after Mayfield in the 2018 NFL draft, Sam Darnold, a year ago. They are in the catbird seat to select the QB of their choosing in the draft, if they find one they think can harmonize well enough with coach Matt Rhule.
Mayfield isn’t the only veteran who is actively looking for a chair. Jimmy Garoppolo is being pranced around to a weird beat by the 49ers, who traded way up to select Trey Lance a year ago and need some return on investment sooner than later. Carolina’s last QB, Cam Newton, is still out there. So is Andy Dalton, a high-floor veteran who offers a lot less drama than Mayfield.
The contract status for Mayfield isn’t helping him find a dance partner. He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract, which is both expensive at $18.8 million and completely short-term. Any team trading for Mayfield will need to give him a new deal unless they’re picking him up for a song from Cleveland. But he’s damaged goods between the shoulder and the ego, and it’s a tough sell to a new team to commit much to Mayfield without seeing him in their locker room and performing on the field.
He might be a good dancer, but the music isn’t very sweet for Mayfield as the Browns hope to find a new home for their quarterback of the last four seasons. Mayfield and the Browns are in real danger of losing the NFL’s version of musical chairs.
