Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 pick of the draft in 2018, was traded by the Cleveland Browns for the Panthers’ conditional fifth-round pick in 2024.
The 27-year-old quarterback has had heads turned since the 2020 season when he led the Browns to the playoffs. In that season, he accumulated an astonishing 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions.
For the first time since 1994, the Cleveland Browns were able to demonstrate a successful postseason win at the hands of their trusty quarterback. So, what happened over the course of the last two years to make the franchise unhappy with Mayfield’s performance?
In the 2021 season, the former No.1 pick injured his shoulder, which certainly put a damper on his performance. In addition to his shoulder, his knee also caused him issues on the field. However, it seems as though the Cleveland franchise believes that other problematic behaviors were responsible for their decision to let their once-prosperous quarterback.
Just last week, Jason Lloyd of TheAthletic.com released an article that discussed possible reasons for their sudden change of heart. According to Lloyd, the Browns, “widely viewed [Mayfield] as childish and immature.”
The author added the information, “His behavior annoyed teammates and divided the locker room. He was often difficult to coach.”
Chris Mortensen reports that Baker Mayfield was not ‘adult’ enough to hold down his position as quarterback for the Browns
In addition to Lloyd, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen expressed similar sentiments, explaining that the Browns wanted someone more “adult” to hold the significant position of quarterback.
“They’re [Mayfield and the Browns]. Regardless of if Deshaun Watson ends up in Cleveland. And the one thing I was told is that it’s just not a match emotionally. Whereas Baker Mayfield’s passion and emotional leadership were embraced in Oklahoma, and even in the beginning with the Browns, things have changed,” Mortensen explained. “They want what they consider an ‘adult’ at that position.”
As of now, Deshaun Watson looks like the most promising quarterback on Cleveland’s roster, rather than their recent trade from the Panthers. Only a few weeks ago, the team announced that they would be moving forward with Watson, which led to rumors about Mayfield’s departure from the team.
in the deal signed with Carolina, the quarterback has only one year to prove himself to be the best player for the team. Kicking off Week 1 on September 1st against his former team, Mayfield certainly has a lot to live up to.
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