Baker Mayfield is leaving the Cleveland Browns to join the Carolina Panthers. The former No 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft will reportedly even take a pay cut to join the Panthers, as he feels the Browns had disrespected him.
The Panthers will send a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to the Browns in exchange for Mayfield. Reports say that the fifth-rounder can actually become a fourth-round pick if Mayfield plays enough minutes for the Panthers.
Mayfield Took A $3.35-Million Pay Cut
According to the NFL Network, the Panthers and Browns have agreed to split the $18.85 million in guaranteed money owed to Mayfield for the 2022 season. The Panthers will pitch in with $5 million, while the Browns will pay only $10.5 million of the $18.85 million they had to reimburse Mayfield.
Reports say that the remaining $3.35 million will not be paid to Mayfield as he has agreed to a pay cut to make the deal happen.
Browns Disrespected Him
Baker Mayfield was looking to leave Cleveland for some time. As soon as the Browns brought in Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback, Mayfield got his wish. Interestingly, Mayfield’s debut for the Panthers will be against his former team as the Panthers open the season against the Browns in Charlotte.
Mayfield played 14 games for the Browns last season and threw for 3,010 yards and 17 touchdowns. Despite having to deal with several injuries and knocks, Mayfield started 6 of those 14 games.
However, even before Watson joined the Browns, Mayfield knew his days in Cleveland were numbered. In April, he said that the Browns disrespected him and that he was told one thing but the team did something completely different.
But that doesn’t mean that Mayfield regrets the time he spent in Cleveland. The former number one pick in the 2018 NFL Draft said that he tried to give everything to his team and that “true Clevelanders and true Browns fans” will appreciate what he did.
Mayfield is a Better Quarterback than Darnold
With Mayfield joining their roster, the Panthers now have two of the top 3 picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. The other one is, of course, Sam Darnold – the Panthers’ starting quarterback last season.
Reports say the Panthers acted with urgency to bring in Mayfield after data analyst Stephen Oh said they were 0.7 wins better with Mayfield as their quarterback. He also said that the Panthers’ chances of winning the division will improve by 1.3% and their chances of making the playoffs will increase by 4.4% after trading for Mayfield.
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