In a letter to the city of Cleveland, his NFL home for the last four years, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield specified that it “is not a message with hidden meaning.” However, the timing of the statement, released amid news that the franchise is pursuing Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, is absolutely notable.
Watson reportedly met with Cleveland on Tuesday, after meetings with New Orleans and Carolina and ahead of a meeting with Atlanta, as he looks to find a place to relaunch his NFL career. Last week, a grand jury dismissed nine criminal complaints filed against Watson for alleged sexual assault and harassment. He is still facing 22 active civil lawsuits stemming from the many allegations made against him in 2021. Watson also faces potential, and perhaps likely suspension from the NFL.
The last time we saw Watson play in 2020, he put together one of the league’s best individual quarterback seasons for the struggling Texans. The news that he won’t be criminally prosecuted is evidently enough for some teams to pursue him, and that leaves a quarterback like Mayfield in a precarious position. On Good Morning Football, NFL insider Ian Rapoport called it a “if I have to say goodbye” note, saying Mayfield is “irked.”
