With the Cleveland Browns trade for Deshaun Watson, quarterback Baker Mayfield should be on the move soon. Mayfield requested a trade from the Browns last Thursday when Cleveland was thought to be out of the Watson race.
The Browns said they were not going to trade him, but once Watson changed his tune on the Browns, the former Heisman winner will now almost certainly be moved. Mayfield had an up and down 2021 season, as he dealt with a variety of injuries. Nevertheless, Mayfield passed for 3,010 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 14 games for Cleveland.
Here are some QB needy teams who could be in the running for Mayfield’s services:
New Orleans Saints
With the Saints losing out on Watson, the Big Easy could be a possible landing spot for the former Sooners QB. Even with Sean Payton taking time off, the Saints have the pieces in place to be a good team. New Orleans has a solid offensive line and an outstanding running back in Alvin Kamara. Receiver Michael Thoma should be back from injury next season, and is a sure-handed wideout capable of putting up big numbers. That being said the Saints could also look to bring Jameis Winston back, who is recovering from an ACL tear.
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts need a quarterback following the trade of Carson Wentz. Indy could be a strong fit for Mayfield because of the Colts’ potent running game with Johnathan Taylor and a good head coach in Frank Reich. With Reich running the offense, he could be a positive influence on Mayfield and help him improve his efficiency. The Colts also have Michael Piitman Jr., who could be a big target for Mayfield to throw to.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, and now have a vacant quarterback spot. The Seahawks have a lot of draft capital that they could use in a trade for Mayfield. They have solid pass catching options, including a big-play receiver in D.K Metcalf. However, they do not have a strong running game, and Seattle’s offensive line is suspect at best. Consider them a dark horse candidate to land Mayfield’s services.
Carolina Panthers
Once again, the Carolina Panthers will be looking for another quarterback because Sam Darnold was not the answer last year. Mayfield would be an upgrade over Darnold, and Carolina does have some pieces in place to be successful. Running back Christian McCaffrey is a gamebreaker out of the backfield if he can remain healthy. D.J Moore is a good receiver and is coming off three straight 1,100 plus yard seasons.
Detroit Lions
Yes, the Detroit Lions have Jared Goff, but Mayfield could be a cheaper and better option for the Lions. If Detroit were to release Goff as a June 1st cut, it could save them $10 million. The Lions have a solid running back in D’Andre Swift, and they added receiver D.J Chalk to go along with tight end T.J Hockenson.
Mayfield is an athletic quarterback that can make plays out of the pocket. He can get the ball down the field but ultimately needs to make better decisions with the football. Detroit needs a franchise quarterback, the question is whether they think Mayfield can be that player or whether they’ll wait and address it in next year’s draft.
-LaMarr Fields
Twitter: @raiderway83
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.