Just over a week ago, the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers agreed to a trade for the disgruntled Baker Mayfield. The deal sent a 5th round pick to the Browns in return for Baker Mayfield and his salary. Interestingly enough, Baker is due nearly $13M dollars this season.
Sam Darnold, the current starting QB for the Carolina Panthers, was traded for prior to the 2021 NFL season, with the Panthers taking on his 5th year option counting $19M against their cap in 2022.
There is a reason that the Carolina Panthers are in a very unstable position in terms of being a team looking to compete. They drafted well in 2022, securing their starting LT Ikem Ekwonu with the 6th pick overall from N.C. State. This pick likely reduces the injury risk to Christian McCaffrey, but would have also shored up a blindspot protector for Darnold.
It was quite apparent the Browns were not happy with Baker Mayfield. Prior to the 2022 NFL Draft the Cleveland Browns traded for troubled star Deshaun Watson, who signed a contract with the Houston Texans to keep him in Houston through 2025. The worst part is, Deshaun Watson had been accused of harrassment and assualt by 24 massage therapists.
Deshaun Watson’s Troubling Behavior
The Cleveland Browns quarterback has been accused of harassment and assault by a growing list of female massage therapists.
- Civil Lawsuits: The star player has been the subject of 24 sexual misconduct lawsuits that accused him of coercive and lewd sexual behavior, with two that alleged assault. Thirty women have reached settlements, and four suits are outstanding.
- Enabling Watson: A lawsuit filed by one of Watson’s accusers against his former team, the Houston Texans, claimed the organization “turned a blind eye” to Watson’s behavior.
- A Times Investigation: Watson used resources provided by the Texans, including nondisclosure agreements, to make appointments with more women than previously known.
- The Browns’ Response: New revelations about Watson have been met with silence by the team, which signed him to a $230 million contract despite the suits against him.
Not only did Cleveland trade a 1st and a 2nd round pick in 2022 for Deshaun Watson, they also signed him to a $230M extension. It’s pretty clear Houston was ready to rid themselves of Watson and the baggage surrounding him. Is this how bad the Browns wanted to get rid of Mayfield? Taking on baggage and extending a contract, one of the richest in history, to a player with serious allegations against him and who could face an NFL suspension as well.
A Fresh Start
For Mayfield, he has a chance for a fresh start with a team that could see him as a replacement to Sam Darnold. The problem really lies within the coaching staff who are likely fired the moment something goes wrong. But for Baker, this has to be something more refreshing to be in a slightly bigger market with the chance to win the starting position.
The Panthers did draft Matt Corral from Ole Miss in 2022. There was some expectation that he could compete with Sam Darnold for the starting QB position, but with Baker in the mix, it’s likely that Corral will be developed for the just in case Baker doesn’t work out moment.
Either way, Mayfield is out of a bad situation and needed a fresh start. It was really wrong how the Browns treated the situation and should have tried to trade Mayfield prior to the draft or just release him.
Outlook
Baker Mayfield has had some issues in the NFL, but a majority of that had to do with Cleveland and the misshandling of multiple situations. Now that Baker is out of Cleveland, he has to make the most of this opportunity. With the Panthers trading for Mayfield, it’s likely they don’t feel that Darnold is going to set the world on fire in 2022 and are hoping that Mayfield can come in and be a spark, a leader, and the confident QB he was just a few years ago being drafted 1st overall. He should be starting before midway of the 2022 regular season if not earlier.