Whispers continue to grow louder that the Cleveland Browns could re-evaluate the quarterback position this offseason.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, FOX Sports NFL Insider Jay Glazer discussed the future of Baker Mayfield with the Browns, and the possibility of the team considering external options that may be available this offseason:
"I think at the end of the year, the Browns are gonna look at all their options and make a decision and kind of weigh it. Who can we get? Is he our best option? It's kind of a sticky situation, right? Half of them, they look at him and say 'OK, we can win with him, he can be our guy.' Baker is a little different, right? He's got some s--- in him. But there will be a lot of veterans that are perhaps up for grabs in the offseason. That's probably the situation."
Naturally, McAfee followed up by asking what veteran quarterbacks could be up for grabs.
Glazer mentioned Aaron Rodgers, who many believe is in his final season with the Green Bay Packers. It's unclear if Rodgers -- who seemingly preferred to head West last offseason -- would be interested in playing in Cleveland, or anywhere east of Denver.
He also wondered if Russell Wilson will push for a trade if the Seattle Seahawks don't turn their 2021 season around. The 32-year-old never officially requested a trade last offseason, though his agent did suggest that if the Seahawks were inclined to trade Wilson, he'd only accept a deal to the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears or Las Vegas Raiders.
The Cowboys have since signed Dak Prescott to a massive extension, and the Bears traded up in the first round to select Justin Fields. The Raiders have had a disastrous few months, but Carr, at the very least, is a top-half-of-the-league quarterback.
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If Wilson ultimately wants out of Seattle this offseason (and the Seahawks honor his wishes), he'll likely have to add some new teams to his list. It's not hard to imagine Wilson and his wife -- singer Ciara -- taking to New York if the Giants move on from Daniel Jones. Perhaps Miami would interest the couple as well. For better or for worse, Cleveland isn't a vacation destination in the way those other two cities are. It's unclear if Wilson would push his way to an entertainment hub or be willing to consider playing in cities like Cleveland and Philadelphia if the opportunity presented itself.
Deshaun Watson also looms as a trade candidate this offseason, but until his legal issues are sorted out, there are moral and logistical issues that will make a trade from the Houston Texans to another team difficult.
Mind you, Mayfield's fifth-year option has been exercised, so he's under contract for $18.858 million in 2022. The former No. 1 overall pick has had an uneven fourth season, and like many Browns, he's played through injuries. It's unclear what his value would be on the trade market if the Browns pivoted to another quarterback this offseason.
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