After suffering a significant injury in his non-throwing shoulder, former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield continued to play through the pain during the 2021 season – his last in Cleveland.
During the following offseason, the Browns made a monumental trade with the Houston Texans, acquiring current quarterback Deshaun Watson for several draft picks.
With Watson looking over his shoulder, Mayfield requested a trade in May to another team, a request the Browns granted by shipping the former overall top draft pick to Carolina.
Browns guard Wyatt Teller believes a different outcome would be probable had Mayfield stayed in Cleveland over the past two seasons.
On the “Go Long TD” Podcast, Teller revealed an interesting theory he has regarding Mayfield if the quarterback had not asked to be traded during the offseason.
“I truly believe when they were talking to Deshaun if Baker … just played the next (season), I truly believe he still would have been the quarterback for the Cleveland Browns,” Teller told the podcast host.
Teller acknowledged that Mayfield was “beloved” by Cleveland’s fans and the franchise’s owners, and the quarterback would have had multiple opportunities to showcase his talents on the football field had he stayed beyond the 2021 season.
Instead, the guard said he believes Mayfield felt disrespected by the Browns’ decision to acquire Watson, implying that Mayfield felt the team had “given up” on him.
Teller saw the move differently, explaining that his mentality is that NFL teams are “always looking to have your replacement” available, and the organization should stock up on talent at all positions when available.
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