Sports Newsroom, June 28 (EFE) .- Quarterback Baker Mayfield mentioned Tuesday that he and the Cleveland Browns are prepared to go their separate ways for the 2022 NFL season.
“We are ready to move forward on both sides. It’s pretty obvious that the mutual decision of both of them is to move forward each on their own path,” said Mayfield, who had applied to leave the team before the Browns signed Deshaun Watson.
Last March, Cleveland signed Watson to a five-year, $230 million contract, a situation Mayfield took as a warning that he would take a back seat on the team, so he began to explore possibilities to emigrate.
The problem for the Cleveland Browns is that they don’t know if they will be able to count on Deshaun Watson for the 2022 season in the face of accusations he faces for sexual misconduct that led to a disciplinary hearing that will resolve the future of the passer.
The automatic option for coach Kevin Stefanski’s team to have a top quarterback was to convince Mayfield to stay to play his fifth season, something that the Austin, Texas, native all but ruled out.
“The decision on both sides is to move forward. I am grateful for my four years in Cleveland. There are a lot of ups and downs and a lot of learning experiences, I’m grateful for that. There is no resentment towards the city of Cleveland in any way.”
Browns general manager Andrew Berry has spoken with several teams during the offseason, including the Carolina Panthers, seeking to trade him for Baker Mayfield, but has not been successful.
“I think I got frustrated because things didn’t happen before the first practice sessions of the offseason, but those things are out of my control, now I let things happen and fall into place,” he said.
Should Watson receive a lengthy penalty and Mayfield maintains his no-follow stance, the Browns are counting on former Dolphins player Jacoby Brissett and Josh Dobbs, who was in 2021 with the Steelers, as options for the quarterback position. EFE
