Browns continue to be their own worst enemy with the Baker Mayfield trade

The Cleveland Browns are reportedly interested in Baker Mayfield from the Seahawks and Panthers, but they’re the biggest obstacle to a deal.

Baker Mayfield isn’t that anymore Brown starting quarterbacks. The question is will he be a starting quarterback elsewhere in 2022?

To do this, he must be traded. The problem is that Cleveland could not reach an agreement with any applicant.

According to The Athletic, they have been in negotiations with the Panthers and Seahawks. Problem is, the Browns are stubborn about how much of Mayfield’s guaranteed salary they’re willing to eat.

Browns continue to be their own worst enemy with the Baker Mayfield trade

Jeff Howe’s latest notebook for The Athletic Details of why a trade to outsource Mayfield was not completed.

Basically, Mayfield is owed a minimum salary of $1.035 million. That leaves the Browns with $17.823 million to either absorb or give up in negotiations.

“The Panthers and Seahawks still haven’t ruled out taking Mayfield, but they will need the Browns to take over a much larger chunk of his contract than they have previously offered,” Howe wrote. “It’s unclear how far apart the sides were, but the Browns want their contractual earnings to match the fortune they receive in return.”

Mayfield’s release would mean accepting the full $18 million of his guaranteed contract without receiving anything in return. Carolina and Seattle know this, so they don’t have much incentive to take a significant portion of that salary.

On the other hand, the Browns can play a chicken game and pretend they’re ready to hold on to Mayfield, allowing QB-needy teams to go into 2022 without an upgrade.

How will all this develop? It’s too early in the offseason to be particularly desperate. That will come with time and will test the will of any team. In the end, it’s likely Cleveland who will budge first.