Baker Mayfield on Browns, Deshaun Watson trade: 'I feel disrespected'
Baker Mayfield is still a member of the Cleveland Browns, but in his mind he’s already off the roster. The former Oklahoma star and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback joined the Ya Never Know Podcast to speak about how he feels disrespected by the Browns after giving them everything, only for Cleveland to turn around and trade for Deshaun Watson.
“I really, truly, honestly have no regrets of my time in Cleveland of what I tried to give to that place,” started Mayfield, speaking about his time with the Browns. “True Clevelanders and true Browns fans know that. That’s why I can walk away from the whole situation feeling like I did it.”
While Mayfield has problems with the Browns front office, he still has love for Cleveland. Still, that love isn’t enough to overshadow the disrespect he feels.
“Yeah, the respect thing is like, it’s all going to be like a personal opinion,” responded Mayfield, when asked if he felt slighted by the Browns. “I feel disrespected. 100%. Because I was told one thing, and they completely did another. That’s what I’m in the middle of right now. You know what, okay, I got my taste of it. Because I’ve had four different head coaches in four years. A bunch of different offensive coordinators. I’ve had, we can talk about the highs — they always come back. They always come back. But like, I had great times my rookie year. I didn’t start in the beginning, I came in and got to have fun the back-half of the year. 2019 sucked. 2020 was great, made the playoffs. 2021 was miserable.
“I’m just looking for stabilization right now. I know what I need to do for me to be the best version of me, and to lead an organization. I’m in a good place right now, where I have no clue where I’m going.”
As rumors ran rampant regarding Cleveland’s interest in Watson, Mayfield made the bizarre decision to release a statement to the football world. While it was thought the Browns were out of the race for the former Clemson quarterback, Cleveland acquired Watson in a shocking turn of events. Immediately, Mayfield demanded a trade from the franchise that drafted him.
While Mayfield’s inconsistent play could be the reason why Cleveland looked to upgrade at quarterback, the former Sooners star still has an unwavering confidence in his ability. It’s been reported teams like the Seattle Seahawks would have interest in the quarterback, but nothing has come to fruition since Mayfield’s trade request came to light.
The football world will keep an eye on what happens with Baker Mayfield, but one thing is for sure — the quarterback time in Cleveland is dead and buried in his mind.