Cleveland Browns trade Baker Mayfield to Carolina Panthers
There’s a new sheriff in town for the Carolina Panthers — and his name is Baker Mayfield.
After multiple drama-filled months, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network broke the news that the Cleveland Browns were trading the former Oklahoma star to the NFC franchise.
“A new QB in Carolina: The #Panthers are acquiring former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield from the #Browns for a 2024 conditional 5th-round draft pick, sources tell me and @TomPelissero,” tweeted Rapoport. “Deal is pending a physical. All parties split the financials to make it happen.
“After months of speculation and months of work for all parties, Baker Mayfield is now a Panther. And Jacoby Brissett is now the #Browns solution for a Deshaun Watson absence.”
Additionally, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the financials that helped make the deal work.
“The #Browns will pay Baker Mayfield $10.5 million this season, which means they trimmed over $8 million in cash and salary-cap space,” tweeted Garafolo. “The #Panthers will pay Mayfield ~$5 million. Mayfield agreed to trim ~$3.5 million off his base salary.”
Moreover, Mayfield won’t have to wait long for his revenge — the Browns play the Panthers in Carolina Week 1 of the NFL season. The storylines write themselves, as the motivated Mayfield will be looking to prove his former team wrong.
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Furthermore, the Browns drafted Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he has been their starter ever since. He even led Cleveland to an 11-5 finish and its first playoff appearance in 17 seasons during his third year in 2020. However, injuries plagued him in 2021 as he threw for the lowest amount of touchdowns in his career (17).
This offseason, tensions began to rise between Mayfield and the Browns. After reports surfaced that the team was in search of a replacement and someone they considered “an adult” at quarterback it appeared all but over. Cleveland later traded for Watson despite numerous sexual harassments allegations against the former Houston star, causing Mayfield to say he felt “disrespected.”
Since Mayfield’s request to be traded, several teams have been tossed around as potential landing spots. Most recently, ESPN reported the Seattle Seahawks may be interested after trading Russell Wilson this offseason. Evidently, the Carolina Panthers wanted the disgruntled quarterback the most — and they got him.