Baker Mayfield's new destination is uncertain after three teams filled starting quarterback vacancies on Monday. (Sports Illustrated)
Browns have to get creative to make Baker Mayfield trade happen
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from an eventful day for quarterbacks not named Baker Mayfield …
The NFL quarterback carousel made a few more rotations on Monday. When the music stopped, Baker Mayfield was still without a seat.
* The Indianapolis Colts traded a third-round draft pick this year to the Atlanta Falcons for Matt Ryan.
* The Falcons promptly signed free agent Marcus Mariota (two years/$18.75 million).
* The New Orleans Saints re-signed free agent Jameis Winston (two years/$28 million).
Those are three more starting jobs filled, reducing the possibilities for estranged Browns starter Baker Mayfield to Seattle and Carolina. San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo is the other quarterback looking for a new starting job.
With two seats open and two quarterbacks available, it would seem the Browns should have no trouble extracting the Mayfield thorn from their side and unloading his guaranteed $18.8 million salary off their books. But it’s not as easy as it seems.
Yes, Seattle once had a curiosity in Mayfield. GM John Schneider reportedly kidded to former Green Bay associate and then-Browns GM John Dorsey about a possible trade involving Russell Wilson prior to the 2018 draft. So there’s some interest there with Schneider.
But the Seahawks acquired Drew Lock in the recent Wilson trade to Denver, and have professed infatuation with him prior to the 2019 draft. They also are believed to be not enamored with adding Mayfield’s salary to their cap. After acquiring the No. 9 pick in the 2022 draft in the Wilson trade, the Seahawks have been snooping around Liberty quarterback Malik Willis.
The Panthers have been a joke in the short reign of clueless owner David Tepper, a billionaire hedge-fund trader who, like the Browns' Jimmy Haslam, was a minority investor in the Pittsburgh Steelers prior to full team ownership.
The Panthers traded their second- and fourth-round picks in 2022 last season to the Jets for 2018 draft bust Sam Darnold. Adding to the folly, the Panthers then picked up Darnold's fifth-year option for $18.8 million.
After striking out in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, the Panthers seem resigned to suffering through Darnold’s lame-duck season and adding a quarterback in the draft. Coach Matt Ruhle was one of only two NFL head coaches who attended Kenny Pickett’s pro day at Pitt on Monday.
All of which leaves the Browns in a growing panic about Mayfield, who is taking up valuable space on their salary cap.
Spotrac.com currently lists the Browns 11th with $22.036 million in cap room. That seems like a lot, but the Browns have more spending to do on a Denzel Ward extension, a new contract for defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and another free-agent receiver. Trading Mayfield would increase their cap space to $40 million, which surely the Browns budgeted for their necessary roster improvements.
The stark market for Mayfield has to be disconcerting to the Browns.
On an appearance on the Really Big Show on 850 ESPN Cleveland on Monday, ESPN Insider Adam Schefter related, “There was one team [the Browns] had a conversation with this weekend. The Browns offered them … they asked for a certain pick and the team said in return 'How about you give me that pick for taking on his contract?’”
The Browns have fashioned themselves as outside-the-box thinkers when it comes to trades and contracts. It’s time for them to get creative and go outside the box.
In 2017, blessed with $100 million in cap room because of rampant roster deconstruction, they agreed to acquire Houston quarterback Brock Osweiler and his $16 million guaranteed contract in exchange for a second-round pick in 2018.
Haslam signed off on eating the $16 million as price for the draft pick. Osweiler never threw a pass for the Browns -- he was cut by then-coach Hue Jackson -- and that pick was used smartly on running back Nick Chubb by since-fired GM Dorsey.
Now the Browns will have to be creative again to rid themselves of Mayfield’s $18.8 million cap figure.
They may have to agree to take on a portion of Mayfield’s guaranteed salary to facilitate a trade. And the best they might get in return is a conditional draft pick in 2023.
Trade inflation
On Sunday, the Browns announced the terms of the Watson trade as these:
Browns receive:
Watson and Houston’s 2024 fifth-round pick.
Texans receive:
2022 first-round pick.
2023 first-round pick and third-round pick.
2024 first-round pick and fourth-round pick
On Monday, however, the NFL announced the real terms and it turns out the Browns gave up more. So, officially, the terms are these:
Browns receive:
Watson and Houston’s 2024 sixth-round pick.
Texans receive:
2022 first-round pick and fourth-round pick.
2023 first-round pick and third-round pick.
2024 first-round pick and fourth-round pick.
So it turns out the Browns received Watson and a sixth-round pick for six total draft picks.
There was no explanation by the Browns for why the trade terms were altered from the original announcement.
More depositions
Watson reportedly appeared in the Browns’ CrossCountry Mortgage Campus headquartes on Monday, but had to return to Houston for more questions under oath in the litigation process of 22 civil suits stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct with licensed massage therapists.
The Browns would like to have Watson’s formal introductory press conference behind them. It may be scheduled for late this week.
The Browns head honchos head to Palm Beach, FL, for NFL owners meetings beginning Sunday.
