The Browns QB would possibly know one thing that we don’t (in actual fact, it’s secure to say that he most likely is aware of a whole lot of issues that we don’t), however his heartfelt letter to town of Cleveland final evening precipitated some confusion. In a notes app write-up posted to Twitter, Baker Mayfield thanked town of Cleveland for embracing him and his household, writing “I’ve no clue what occurs subsequent, which is the that means behind the silence I’ve had throughout the period of this course of …I’ve given this franchise every thing I’ve … And that won’t change wherever I take my subsequent snap.”
By all accounts, that appears like goodbye (although he did embrace that “this isn’t a message with a hidden that means”), regardless of nary a commerce introduced on the Browns QB place. This was posted after the Cleveland higher-ups spoke with present Texans QB Deshaun Watson, who was just lately cleared of felony sexual harassment fees after sitting out the 2021-22 season. However the Browns are simply certainly one of a number of groups which might be assembly with Watson and the Texans to debate a commerce, a gaggle that features the Saints, the Panthers, and the Falcons. Learn: no ensures.
From the best way the previous No. 1 draft choose’s notice reads, it seems like he’s being pushed out of Ohio after 4 alternating years of excelling after which underperforming. He’s been inconsistent from yr to yr and he’s reportedly “prickly,” however he additionally led the franchise to their first over-.500 season in properly over a decade in 2020 and gained a playoff sport. His 2021 season was hampered by accidents that he selected to play by way of, maybe unwisely, resulting in a tricky TD-to-interception ratio and a low completion proportion (rating twenty seventh of 32 certified QBs).
Mayfield appears to be shortly realizing that the Browns have come to the conclusion that their QB has reached his ceiling in Cleveland. As Stephen A. Smith put it on First Take this morning, “All over the place you look, [the Browns] had weapons. You, because the quarterback, have been the weak hyperlink. Baker Mayfield was the Achilles heel for the Browns offense.”
Surrounded by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt within the backfield, with OBJ and Jarvis Landry as targets, Mayfield shouldered a lot of the blame for the group’s failures, although many followers consider that he doesn’t get sufficient credit score for reviving the franchise throughout his first three seasons all through a number of teaching modifications. He very properly could also be requesting a commerce whether or not or not the Browns are capable of signal on a brand new QB — possibly he’s performed with Cleveland, and never the opposite approach round.
The Colts appear like a strong goal for him, as they’re available in the market for a brand new QB1 after buying and selling away Carson Wentz in what appears to be an ever-evolving QB commerce cycle this offseason. In fact, a whole lot of this will depend on whether or not the Browns can get Watson or one other improve — as a result of if they’ll’t, and Mayfield has to remain in Cleveland, there’s certain to be some animosity subsequent season.
