A new contract for Baker Mayfield is sounding closer

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.

Andrew Berry generally is unflappable in not tipping his hand on personnel moves or intentions. But the Browns GM gave the strongest indication yet that the organization may be ready to lock up quarterback Baker Mayfield to a long-term contract extension.

Entering his fourth season, Mayfield is eligible for an extension that would take effect in 2023. The going rate, if done this year, could top $35 million a year.

Waiting a year might inflate that figure closer to $40 million per. So the incentive is there for the Browns get a deal done sooner than later.

Are the Browns ready for that substantial financial commitment or would they rather wait for more proof that Mayfield is The Guy?

Let’s read the tea leaves from Berry’s media Zoom call on Wednesday.

First up in a timeline to a new contract is picking up the fifth-year option of Mayfield’s rookie contract. That formality will happen by the deadline of May 3.

“We have been pretty consistent with our messaging around Baker that we think he had a really strong season for us,” Berry said. “We like the maturation and the growth, both on and off the field, and we are looking forward to him continuing to take strides in his second year in the offense.”

Berry was asked if there is a consensus in the organization that Mayfield is The Guy.

“Look, Baker is the first quarterback in – you guys probably know the years more than I do – who has led this organization, led this team to the playoffs and a playoff victory,” he answered. “He has endured an enormous amount of adversity in his young career, just quite honestly with the changes he has gone through with coaching staffs, front offices and offensive systems, and he has risen above it all. I think we all saw him grow from week to week to week last year, and we expect him to continue that progress and have a fantastic 2021 season for us.”

As more NFL teams than usual grapple with uncertainty at the quarterback position, the Browns are an exception. They are in an enviable, if unfamiliar, position.

“You are hitting on an important point because the quarterback position is in my mind the most important position in professional sports,” Berry said. “Until you have a baseline of any level of quarterback play, it is really difficult to win and make progress in the NFL. Oftentimes, if that position is not productive or it is not solidified, it can feel a lot like operating in neutral. That is something that is certainly not lost on us and it is definitely not lost on us as an organization.”

Finally, there is the “cautionary tale” of Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, former No. 1 and No. 2 overall draft picks recently traded by their respective teams less than two years after receiving similar mega-extensions.

Berry was an assistant to Eagles GM Howie Roseman when Wentz received his $128 million deal from Philadelphia in 2019. When Berry was introduced as Browns GM a year later, he cited Roseman as one of his professional mentors.

So I asked Berry if he viewed the Wentz experience as a cautionary tale when deciding the next move with Mayfield.

“I do not know that with respect to anything that has happened to any of the other 31 teams has a major bearing in terms of how we are going to address the quarterback situation here,” he said. “To me, we will evaluate that internally and make a decision we think is best for our team and our organization. I think it would maybe be a stretch to say that it is going to serve as a cautionary tale or any type of blueprint for us. We will make the best decision for us with the information we have.”

Adding it all up, it’s sounding as if the Browns want to get it done.

Brownie bits

• Berry praised David Njoku, but was noncommittal about granting the tight end’s on-again, off-again wish to be traded. Njoku’s fifth-year option of $6.013 million becomes guaranteed on March 17. “Look, I thought David played really well for us last year,” Berry said. “He did a nice job with his teammates. He did a nice job with his role within the offense. We think he is a very young, productive player.”
• There was a report that the Browns offered J.J. Watt $24 million over two years. Watt signed with the Arizona Cardinals for $28 million, with another $3 million in incentives. Berry declined to comment on the team’s pursuit of Watt or the team’s Plan B at defensive end. “One thing I do know is that I think we will have plenty of opportunities to continue to improve the team over the next six to eight months,” Berry said.
• Berry expressed admiration for Nick Chubb, but indicated any work on a contract extension for the running back will have to wait. “We have a lot of major decisions that we are going to make, and the first of those come with guys who have expiring contracts within the next two and a half weeks,” he said. “We do have a number of players who are extension eligible, of which Nick is one. That is something that we will sort through as we go through the offseason.”
• On the issue of bringing back free agent receiver Rashard Higgins, Berry was unsure if the Browns can afford him. “I will not touch on the specific dialogue we have had, but I think it suffice it to say we would like to have Rashard back,” Berry said. “He obviously played a key role for us this past year and we have a really positive history with him. Look, free agency can be difficult, and obviously, he has earned the right to make the decision that is most appropriate for him. We will maintain consistently good communication with him and his reps. We will see where it goes.”
• Higgins is one of 20 Browns whose contracts expire and will become free agents on March 17. Berry termed it “an enormous challenge” to decide which ones the team can afford to bring back. “We have a lot of guys who have expiring contracts who played significant roles for us and were a big part of our success,” he said. “In an ideal world, you keep every single one of your players. I think we all know on this call that is not possible from year to year, so we are just left with big decisions.”