CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Baker Mayfield won’t be going to Indianapolis, or Atlanta or New Orleans.
All three teams made moves to secure their starting quarterbacks for 2022 Monday afternoon.
The Colts got crossed off the list of potential destinations when the Falcons sent quarterback Matt Ryan to them for a 2022 third-round pick.
Mayfield not only missed out on going to one of his reported preferred destinations, but the Falcons are no longer an option after they agreed to sign Marcus Mariota to a two-year contract.
New Orleans came to terms on a new two-year deal with Jameis Winston Monday afternoon taking the Saints out of the running for Mayfield as well.
Carolina potentially could be a wild card but the Panthers don’t seem that interested at the moment leaving Seattle as the lone remaining team with an obvious starting vacancy after they traded Russell Wilson to Denver.
The 49ers would also like to trade Jimmy Garoppolo, but they likely won’t send him to a divisional rival.
Could the Detroit Lions acquire Mayfield? Former Browns general manager John Dorsey, who drafted Mayfield, could convince Detroit to acquire him a year after they swapped Matthew Stafford, who won the Super Bowl with the Rams last season, for Jared Goff.
Monday’s trade also may have set the market for Mayfield, who isn’t nearly as accomplished in his career as Ryan, a four-time Pro Bowler and 2016 NFL MVP, is.
With Atlanta recouping just a third round pick for Ryan, it’s hard to imagine that Andrew Berry and the Browns will get much more for Mayfield.
Mayfield, who is coming off surgery in January to replace a torn left labrum, is scheduled to make $18.858 million this season, the final year of his rookie contract.
After initially denying Mayfield’s trade request Thursday, the Browns put 2018 No. 1 pick on the trade block Friday afternoon when they agreed to acquire Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans and give him a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract.
