ESPN reporter Josina Anderson has dropped an interesting claim on the future of Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. 

Having been drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the #1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, slowly but surely Baker Mayfield has been able to bring the team back to some form of relevancy in recent years. Before he arrived the team had won just one gam in the two seasons combined before he arrived, but in 2020 he took the team to their first playoff win since the 1994 season.

2021 certainly could have gone better for him both in terms of performance and his health situation as he missed a number of games due to a shoulder injury, and when he was available he didn’t put in the greatest of performances, throwing for a total of 3,010 yards and 17 touchdowns whilst completing just over 60% of his passes and throwing 13 interceptions, where his 6-8 record ensured the Browns would be out of the playoffs. 

Those problems forced the Browns to look elsewhere at quarterback, and as a result they traded a haul of picks to the Houston Texans in order to acquire Deshaun Watson despite the number of allegations that are hanging over him.

Looking for a way out

The trade pretty much ensures that Mayfield is not the long-term answer under centre for the Browns, and whilst he might be asked to fill in temporarily should Watson get suspended, beyond that the writing is pretty much on the wall. 

There have been talks to suggest that a move could be possible, with the Carolina Panthers as well as the Detroit Lions emerging as potential candidates, but the Browns can’t seem to find anyone willing to take on the financial aspect of his contract. 

One more team that are also facing quarterback problems this offseason are the Seattle Seahawks, who traded away Russell Wilson this offseason to the Denver Broncos, leaving them with Geno Smith, Drew Lock (who came as part of the trade) and Jacob Eason, and according to Anderson, there’s a chance that threesome might become a foursome soon enough.

What’s she said?

Taking to Twitter, Anderson claimed that interest in Baker was still incredibly high and that the Seahawks might not only want him for this season but also have an interest in having him on board for the long-haul:

The idea does make some sense as on an NFL level, Mayfield has achieved more than Lock and Smith who he would be competing with for the starters spot, but giving him an extension this early in the process might not be the smartest move.

Things might not work out for him up there and then they are stuck with a contract that they find hard to shift, the situation the Browns find themselves in now.