The Browns will explore all options at quarterback ahead of the 2022 season, according to reports from last week.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that the expectation is that Baker Mayfield will begin the year as Cleveland’s starting quarterback, but that rookie and veteran options will be considered as potential roster additions.
Should the Browns choose to go another route, the team could actually trade him.
The Tampa Bay Bucs have been named in numerous quarterback rumors since the retirement of Tom Brady. One name that the Buccaneers should at least have a discussion with the Browns about a potential trade is former No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield.
Jonathan Adams of Heavy laid out what a proposed deal would look like between Cleveland and Tampa Bay:
“Mayfield’s trade value is challenging to gauge as the majority of rumors involving the Browns QB1 has Cleveland sending him along with picks for an upgrade at quarterback just as the Rams did when they swapped Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford.
The Buccaneers do not have that to offer but could dangle Kyle Trask as potential intriguing option to compete at quarterback next season. A case can be made that Trask would be in the same tier as Kenny Pickett or Malik Willis if he were in this year’s draft class, a group without a consensus top prospect. Tampa Bay could offer the Browns Trask and a day-three pick to sweeten the deal.
If the Browns do not have an interest in Trask, the Buccaneers could offer a second-round pick along with a future day two selection. The Browns are likely to push for the Buccaneers No. 27 pick in the first round, but there does not appear to be a huge bidding war developing for Mayfield.”
Mayfield threw for just 3,010 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his 14 starts for the Browns in 2021. He was unable to lead the team to the postseason as he did the year prior where they not only qualified for the postseason, but they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Mayfield is just one season removed from throwing for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2020. Injuries last season hampered him a ton, but he has since had surgery and should be 100% by training camp.
