Round and round the rumors for Baker Mayfield trades go.
Where do they stop?
Nobody knows.
Although, we do know something.
That is the Carolina Panthers are now out of the running after selecting Matt Corral in the third round of the NFL Draft.
Per David Newton of ESPN, Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer confirmed the Ole Miss quarterback going to Carolina means they’d be out of the market for a veteran quarterback.
That would include Mayfield.
Panthers GM Scott Fitterer says getting Matt Corral takes him out of the market for a veteran, namely Baker Mayfield.
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) April 30, 2022
So this eliminates another one of the few remaining teams left in legitimate contention for Mayfield.
Many believed if a trade occurred it would be after day one anyways. However, Carolina served as a potential landing spot.
With them out of the equation, when could a Baker deal be done?
Remaining Potential Partners
With Carolina finding their camp competition for Sam Darnold in Corral, who else can the Browns front office talk to?
Many still see Seattle at the top of the list as they continue to look for a replacement for Russell Wilson.
They had two picks in the second round but ultimately decided to pass on taking a QB.
Per Mary Kay Cabot, this leaves Seattle still in the running for the Browns quarterback.
#Seahawks, who have expressed interest in Baker Mayfield, pass on Malik Willis and others QBs at No. 40 and No. 41, keeping them in the possible mix for Mayfield.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) April 29, 2022
Earlier this week, Marc Sessler of NFL Network had Mayfield going to the Seahawks as a “lock” for this draft.
His prediction included Seattle sending a fourth-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Mayfield.
The most anticipated moment of draft season is finally here 👀
It’s @MarcSessler’s annual Mock Draft! And introducing a new element, 10 LOCKS 🔒
Listen now: https://t.co/37db5NQkuj pic.twitter.com/RGu50OHPw2
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) April 27, 2022
New Orleans and Detroit are a pair of remaining teams that could still go after Mayfield.
They’re both spots that would allow Baker to compete for a starting spot right away which is something he seems to want.
However, if they both go for quarterbacks on day three, the options become extremely limited.
If a trade is going to happen for Mayfield in the draft, today seems like the day that will happen.
Browns GM Andrew Berry described the process as a “fluid situation”.
Why No Deal Yet?
It’s a bit surprising to see no one pull the trigger on a Mayfield trade yet.
Although, Baker hasn’t done himself any favors this offseason in terms of increasing his value.
In fact, he’s decreased it if anything else.
Coming off a poor-performing, injury-riddled season is where things started going south.
But dramatic social media messages and odd podcast quotes have many wondering what kind of leader he can still be in the NFL.
Rumors of the locker room turning on Mayfield last season only adds to the questions.
Some are beginning to wonder if the Browns will just cut Mayfield.
His $18.8 million salary for next season is fully guaranteed.
That seems to be a little too large for teams to confidently take on at the moment.
However, if the Browns can’t find a trade partner, cutting him isn’t the end of the world.
It’s far from ideal considering his guaranteed money.
But the situation will become incredibly distracting the longer it goes on.
Getting it done and over with as soon as possible is best for both the Browns and Mayfield.
NEXT: 3 Things To Know About New Browns WR David Bell
