Baker Mayfield‘s stint with the Cleveland Browns is over after he was traded to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
That selection could become a fourth-rounder if he plays 70 percent of the snaps for Carolina this season.
It’s an unfortunate ending to what could have been a promising connection between a football-crazed city and a former Heisman Trophy winner.
However, the team deemed Mayfield as unsuitable for their future plans, especially after signing Deshaun Watson to a five-year, $230 million fully-guaranteed contract.
Likewise, bringing in Jacoby Brissett meant that the Browns were not interested in reaching out to Mayfield to potentially repair the broken relationship.
Instead, Mayfield gets a fresh start in Carolina and could have a chance to beat his former team in Week 1 of the 2022 season.
But while his stint in Cleveland is over, FOX Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho thinks that Mayfield should be regarded as a hero by Browns fans.
“Baker Mayfield should be remembered as a hero in Cleveland.” — @EmmanuelAcho pic.twitter.com/7jBlRGePih
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) July 11, 2022
In his recent appearance at FOX’s Speak For Yourself, the former NFL player said, “He goes to a city that won one game in its previous two seasons. Baker Mayfield shows up albeit there was coaching turmoil, albeit there was ownership turmoil, and he shows up and he stabilizes the most unstable organization in pro football.”
Mayfield Did Bake Something Great In Cleveland
Acho has a point because the former Oklahoma standout helped the Browns snap a 19-game winless streak.
He was also the starting quarterback when the Browns returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
They also won a playoff game during the 2020 season, their first postseason victory since 1994.
Yes, Watson could bring the Browns to a different level if he gets to play either this season or in 2023.
But before the team moves forward, they should not forget Mayfield’s role in making the Browns relevant again.
As Acho said, “He may not be the hero that Cleveland deserved but he’s the hero that Cleveland needed.”
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