As Cabot summed up: The Browns and Mayfield answered questions about an injury to his non-throwing shoulder differently. There were indications Mayfield wasn’t that popular with his teammates, including what she reported as frustration among some defensive players and the response by other players to a rift with Odell Beckham.
But perhaps most importantly, the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 never developed as a player.
The Browns showed zero apparent interest in extending Mayfield’s contract after he helped put up 48 points in a playoff win over the Steelers last January, so it’s safe to say this impending divorce isn’t just about his shoulder injury (which ultimately required offseason surgery) limiting his production last season; it also has to be about his talent and whether he fit Stefanski’s system.
Mayfield throws a beautiful, accurate ball when he sees the play. But he has to see it, and he misses seeing a lot, especially over the middle of the field. He holds on to the ball forever and leaves the pocket early. That leads to a lot of sacks, which is an acceptable tradeoff if you are Russell Wilson. But the 26-year-old Mayfield is like a younger version of Wilson without the same athleticism or creativity. That adds up to a limited, mid-level starting quarterback who can be an asset if everything is right. If anything goes wrong, like having to play through injury, Mayfield doesn’t have the physical ability or processing tools to fall back on.
Mayfield can still help a team; it just almost certainly won’t be in Cleveland. The Browns surely don’t regret guaranteeing his fifth-year option for 2022. Mayfield is an asset, and his trade value can’t possibly be less than Carson Wentz’s this year. (Can it?) The Seahawks make sense as a trade candidate; they have a need, having dealt Wilson to the Broncos, and I’ve never believed for a second that Seattle coach Pete Carroll is looking to rebuild. Would a second-round pick get a deal done? The Colts, Panthers, Raiders and even Falcons could also be fits, depending on how the next week goes.
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