Baker Mayfield is in limbo, but it would not be like him to stay silent.
Mayfield appeared on the “Ya Never Know” podcast, and was asked if he felt disrespected by how he has been treated by the Browns organization in the wake of the Deshaun Watson acquisition this offseason.
“Yeah the respect thing is all going to be a personal thing, but yeah, I feel disrespected. 100 percent,” Mayfield anwered.
“Because I was told one thing, and they completely did another. That’s what I’m in the middle of now. And you know what? Okay. I got my taste of it, because I’ve had four different head coaches in four years. A bunch of different coordinators.”
The Browns traded a package that included three first round picks to the Texans to land Watson, and also immediately gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.
Mayfield asked for a trade even before the Watson deal manifested. However, the Browns might be holding onto him as an insurance policy for if Watson is suspended by the NFL after being accused of sexual misconduct by more than 20 massage therapists. Watson will not face criminal charges as a result of the allegations, but he still faces civil litigation and potential NFL discipline.
Clarity on Watson might not be coming any time soon, as Watson’s attorney and the attorney for the accuser have agreed to delay trials on the civil cases until after the football season.
It is unclear if and when the Browns intend to move Mayfield.
“Talk about the the highs? They always come back,” he said on the podcast. “But, I had great times my rookie year. I didn’t start in the beginning. I came in and got to have fun in the back half of the year. 2019 sucked. 2020 was great, made the playoffs. 2021 was miserable.”
The quarterback summed up what he wants at this juncture: “I’m just looking for stabilization right now.”