207 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Yes, I think he'd have sat out or shown up only at week 12 or whenever it is that he needs to get credit for the season and become a FA.

And given up how much $?

 

Also, if he had shown up Week 12, and the Browns were out of it... they would have no incentive to play him.  

So everyone's last impression of him would be a poor / injured '21, and a non-existent '22...  vs the alternative of him (possibly) doing something productive with '22.   He's a chip on the shoulder guy anyway.  I think they could have used that for the year. 

I'm glad they gave away that opportunity. 

[Mackus]

He'd give up 12/17ths of his salary (or whatever fraction he needs to show up and still get credit for the season).  Agree they probably don't play him once he shows up.

 

The Browns moved on from him without a conversation and he was salty about it.  They decided he wasn't going to be the QB, not him.  Once they did that, he's not gonna play if they come crawling back to him asking him to play for a season until their preferred accused rapist is allowed to play again and takes over the job.

[makoman]

Considering it's conditional and two drafts away, the Ravens got more for Kaare Vedvik. 

 

The Browns are also throwing in $10.5M. Panthers will pay $5M, Baker took a $3.5M pay cut.

[BSLChrisStoner]

He'd give up 12/17ths of his salary (or whatever fraction he needs to show up and still get credit for the season).  Agree they probably don't play him once he shows up.

 

The Browns moved on from him without a conversation and he was salty about it.  They decided he wasn't going to be the QB, not him.  Once they did that, he's not gonna play if they come crawling back to him asking him to play for a season until their preferred accused rapist is allowed to play again and takes over the job.

Certainly not anything I can prove; just don't think he would have forgone 12/17 of his salary and put himself in a worse position for his next contract. 

Yeah, totally agree he didn't want to play another snap for the Browns... but definitely could have seen him wanting to stick it to Cleveland by putting up numbers.  Wasn't like he didn't have a capable surrounding cast.  

But all hypothetical. 

Carolina improved. 

Maybe Cleveland tries to get Jimmy G.

[makoman]

Oh the Browns are at Carolina week 1, fun!

[Mike in STL]

Oh the Browns are at Carolina week 1, fun!

Game is going to be completely overblown by the media, like Brady going back to Foxboro.

[russsnyder]

Baker can be a middle of the pack QB, and you can win with that. The Browns soured on him after he wasn't productive last year... playing with 1 arm... the team let him down, by allowing him to play.

How the Browns trade him now with everything going on with Watson just feels weird.

Carolina gets a legitimate NFL qb. They've got some weapons.

The Browns alienated Mayfield.

They also took away all of Mayfield's trade value by bringing in Watson and signing him to that mega contract.

The deal is a steal for Carolina.

The Jacoby Brissett era is on the horizon in Cleveland. (I can't see Watson playing this year.)

[Slidemaster]

Personally I hope they suspend Watson indefinitely. Either way, Baker wasn't going to play for then again. Carolina gets a relative steal and Cleveland has to field a rapist if or when he's finally eligible.

God the Browns are poorly run.

[CantonJester]

And given up how much $?

 

Also, if he had shown up Week 12, and the Browns were out of it... they would have no incentive to play him.  

So everyone's last impression of him would be a poor / injured '21, and a non-existent '22...  vs the alternative of him (possibly) doing something productive with '22.   He's a chip on the shoulder guy anyway.  I think they could have used that for the year. 

I'm glad they gave away that opportunity. 

 

Nobody is thinking less of Mayfield considering the position the Browns put him in. 

 

That trade had to be made, because if I’m Baker, I let Cleveland know I’m not playing another down for them without a bigger contract than the rapist’s. 

 

Hence, 5th rounder, or whatever the deal was made. 

[BSLChrisStoner]

Nobody is thinking less of Mayfield considering the position the Browns put him in.

That trade had to be made, because if I’m Baker, I let Cleveland know I’m not playing another down for them without a bigger contract than the rapist’s.

Hence, 5th rounder, or whatever the deal was made.

I'm surprised how many people think Baker was just going to forgoe 12/17 of his salary.

The fact that he was traded for a 5th in July shows what his current value was around the league.

If the Browns had kept him for 22 and he didn't play; he wouldn't be commanding anything significant as a FA before 23.

He could have played in Cleveland for 22, and every week he played well he would be increasing his pending FA value while feeling he was sticking it to the Browns for preferring Watson as their long term answer.

Yes, he would not be happy. He would voice that. Just think he would take his checks and play.

Maybe Carolina already gave him a wink regarding an extension?

[ivanbalt]

This is like the Ravens trading away Flacco after 3 seasons for a 5th rounder and bringing in Michael Vick.

 

I know Baker didn't have the W/L success Flacco had but he was a fan favorite in Cleveland. Watson is head and shoulders a better QB but he might also not even play.

 

And now Baker wants to be Rick Vaughn when it comes to the Browns.

It's mind boggling how quickly they turned on him.  Best QB they've had since the Browns returned, helped deliver a winning season, playoff win, and nearly upset KC on the road.  And they toss him away after a down, injured season.  Now they're going to add at least two more names to that jersey with all the QBs on it.

[weird-O]

Personally I hope they suspend Watson indefinitely. Either way, Baker wasn't going to play for then again. Carolina gets a relative steal and Cleveland has to field a rapist if or when he's finally eligible.

God the Browns are poorly run.

Reminds me of a certain MLB team that plays in the Mid-Atlantic region

[CantonJester]

The fact that he was traded for a 5th in July shows what his current value was around the league.
 

 

I think it speaks to how poorly the franchise is run. A deal for Mayfield should’ve been reached before the Watson trade was announced. 

[Mackus]

The fact that he was traded for a 5th in July shows what his current value was around the league.

 

Obviously he's not Russell Wilson, he's a fringe starter with upside, but I think this moreso shows what a bad hand the Browns had dealt themself in how they declared publicly that a QB with a guaranteed contract wouldn't be playing for them any longer.  If he was a super valuable guy they would've had more suitors and still gotten a good return, sure, but they got way less than Mayfield's perceived value because they were forced to deal him and everyone knew it.  Wentz and Ryan deals are examples of what even a fringe QB can bring back when its not a clear giveaway.

[mweb08]

The timing here was important. He should have been actively shopped at the same time as Ryan and Wentz. His value should not have been much lower than those guys imo.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Carolina def got a deal here. 

[makoman]

The timing here was important. He should have been actively shopped at the same time as Ryan and Wentz. His value should not have been much lower than those guys imo.

Especially if he's going to cost $5M. We all know what QBs cost, if you think he's a starting caliber QB then that deal should lead to way more than a 5th in two years. He's costing the Panthers what Jacoby Brissett and Mason Rudolph cost this year, almost 3M less than Darnold.

[russsnyder]

Especially if he's going to cost $5M. We all know what QBs cost, if you think he's a starting caliber QB then that deal should lead to way more than a 5th in two years. He's costing the Panthers what Jacoby Brissett and Mason Rudolph cost this year, almost 3M less than Darnold.

I think the Browns had been shopping Mayfield for a good while. I heard that both Carolina and Seattle had interest. I think the one of the major holdups was his contract. It looks like Carolina got some salary relief and gave up less in the way of draft picks. The fact that Mayfield was not going back whether or not Watson was suspended played a big part in it as well. At the end of the day, the Browns made this deal with two hands tied behind their back.

[NewMarketSean]

The rest of the NFL was probably waiting to see if he'd be released.

[BSLChrisStoner]

ESPN: Baker Mayfield vs. Sam Darnold: Is Carolina Panthers' starting QB job Mayfield's to lose?

https://www.espn.com...yfields-to-lose