The dissolution of the relationship between the Cleveland Browns and Baker Mayfield drags on.
After trading for Deshaun Watson on March 18, the Browns continue to keep Mayfield on the roster and now have four quarterbacks.
They are Watson, Jacoby Brissett, Joshua Dobbs, and Mayfield.
Robert Griffin III, former player, Heisman Trophy winner, and television analyst, believes the Browns are to blame for the Mayfield situation.
He is not shy about sharing his opinion and did so recently on ESPN’s Get Up and on his Twitter page.
What Griffin Said
On Get Up, he said:
“I’m just flabbergasted at how the Browns could mismanage this situation so poorly.”
“The Browns needed to trade Baker Mayfield before the ink dried on Deshaun Watson’s contract. Instead, they trashed Baker in the media, aided in killing his trade value and are stuck with a QB they don’t want.”
The Browns needed to trade Baker Mayfield before the ink dried on Deshaun Watson’s contract. Instead, they trashed Baker in the media, aided in killing his trade value and are stuck with a QB they don’t want. pic.twitter.com/cqsnSXCWP9
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 22, 2022
Griffin, as a former quarterback who dealt with his share of injuries during his NFL career, is clearly a strong supporter of Mayfield.
The trash-talking he is referring to is likely the now-infamous “adult” comments that ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported on March 16.
Just days before the Watson trade was finalized on March 18, a source told Mortensen that the Browns wanted an “adult” as QB1.
Chris Mortensen says the Browns want an "adult" at the QB position.
Hoo boy, that seems like a real unnecessary cheap shot at Baker Mayfield.
He's had an up-and-down career in Cleveland but no need to take a shot at his character. pic.twitter.com/OnykTzW8Q6
— College Sports Only (@CollegeSportsO) March 16, 2022
Griffin could be right, but there are other issues that could be contributing to Mayfield not yet being traded.
Other Reasons Why Mayfield Has Not Been Traded
Though the Browns want to trade Mayfield, for various reasons, the trade offers have not poured in.
It could be because of his poor performance in 2021, the recovery from the January 2022 shoulder surgery, or his (fifth-year option) salary of nearly $19 million.
NFL Owners in no rush to help #Browns in deal for Baker Mayfieldhttps://t.co/uuVh9sW8QY
— Brandon Little (@BrandonLittleBL) April 20, 2022
There is also a school of thought that NFL owners do not want to engage the Browns in trade talks for Mayfield.
The owners are not happy with the Watson contract and its large sum of guaranteed money.
This contract is likely to change future NFL contracts.
In the meantime, the Browns are in the driver’s seat and will dictate what happens with Mayfield.
If they decide to cut him, it has been reported by several outlets, including Mary Kay Cabot, that the Pittsburgh Steelers would quickly sign him.
We followed up with Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot on her report that the Steelers would "pounce" on Baker Mayfield if he became a free agent…
Check out the full interview here: https://t.co/Bp5EcCyrHu pic.twitter.com/m0tzGDo4nv
— The Fan Morning Show (@FanMorningShow) March 23, 2022
That must be an unsavory thought for the Browns.
They will likely hold onto Mayfield for the foreseeable future and wait for an attractive offer.
That offer could be months away which means the saga continues.
NEXT: Browns Nation News And Notes (4/23/22)
Robert Griffin III said it just ’bout right. Browns Management needed trading Baker before they signed Watson, most certainly before they also signed Jacoby Brissett. All the owners now know the Browns now have 4 QBs. The Browns must release Baker sooner or later or he is just dead wood in the Browns new offense. Why give the Browns draft picks or money now in exchange for Baker when they know at some point they can get him for free?
Throw in the excuses concerning how they trashed Baker in the media, aided in killing his trade value, the owners not being happy with the Watson contract and its large sum of guaranteed money, and the like and you have a Browns disaster on their hands. No! our Browns management is not in the driver’s seat. The other owners are. How Browns management handled this fiasco removed them from the driver’s seat. The way they did this management showed how either they don’t know hot to conduct NFL business, or those paying to lose charges are true. I’m leaning toward the latter.