Joe Person: Panthers and Baker Mayfield: Minicamp could boost trade talks with Browns

[WarPanthers89]

Article from The Athletic:

As the Panthers head into their third week of organized team activities, it’s been mostly quiet on the Baker Mayfieldfront. But these are the Panthers we’re discussing, so rest assured the quarterback question continues to bubble beneath the surface.

The Panthers and Browns remain in a holding pattern on Mayfield — really, more of a game of chicken — with each side waiting to see if the other will blink and come down on its asking price. But with mandatory minicamps quickly approaching across the league, don’t be surprised if Cleveland and Carolina renew the trade talks that stalled during the draft.

Acquiring Mayfield before the June 14-16 minicamp would give the quarterback a chance to start learning Ben McAdoo’s offense and to get acquainted with his new teammates, including receiver Robbie Anderson, who in April voiced his disapproval of a Mayfield trade on social media.

It also would allow the Browns — already dealing with the fallout of trading for Deshaun Watson — to avoid another quarterback-related distraction if Mayfield reported to minicamp to avoid getting fined. (Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that skipping the three-day minicamp would cost Mayfield about $95,000.)

The sticking point in a potential Mayfield-to-Carolina trade has centered on how much each side is willing to pay toward his $18.9 million salary, which became guaranteed when the Browns picked up his fifth-year option last spring.

The Panthers already have Sam Darnoldon their books at the same $18.9 million figure after exercising his fifth-year option. Carolina wants Cleveland to pick up a significant portion of Mayfield’s salary, although the amount could fluctuate based on what the Panthers are offering in return. The higher the draft pick that Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer is willing to include in the deal, the more cash the Browns presumably would be willing to throw in to make it happen.

One possibility would be sending Darnold to Cleveland in a swap of top-three quarterbacks from the 2018 draft. The Browns look to be set with Jacoby Brissett as Watson’s backup. But if the Panthers add a draft-pick sweetener or otherwise convince Cleveland to take Darnold, the money could be a wash. (Carolina’s $24.8 million in salary-cap space is second only to Cleveland’s $30.99 million, according to the NFLPA database.)

Darnold, who turned 25 on Sunday, has been the NFL’s lowest- or second-lowest-rated passer each of the past two seasons. He’s thrown nearly as many interceptions (52) as touchdowns (54) in his four seasons and has a career passer rating of 76.9.

The 27-year-old Mayfield has 92 career touchdowns against 56 interceptions, with a career passer rating of 87.8. He led the Browns to an 11-5 regular-season record in 2020, followed by their first playoff victory since 1994.

Of course, the above scenario assumes dumping Darnold in favor of Mayfield is the Panthers’ preference. Although Matt Rhule has made it clear he remains open to bringing in another quarterback, others in the organization question how big an upgrade Mayfield would be.

It also doesn’t hurt the Panthers’ positioning to have the Browns thinking they’re willing to roll into the season with Darnold and third-round pick Matt Corral as their top QB options.

Cleveland also can try to claim leverage. As the number of women accusing Watson of sexual misconduct continues to grow, the Browns could signal that they’re willing to hold on to Mayfield in the event Watson is suspended or goes on the commissioner’s exempt list. But nearly everyone in league circles believes the Mayfield-Cleveland relationship is broken beyond repair, much like the situation was with Watson in Houston.

San Francisco veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo also remains available in a trade, but there are concerns within the Panthers organization about the health of Garoppolo’s throwing shoulder after surgery in March.

In the meantime, Darnold, Corral and P.J. Walker continue to take the reps in McAdoo’s offense while the Panthers consider whether they want to change quarterbacks for the third time in three seasons under Rhule.

And everyone — including Mayfield, who a league source says has been throwing since March after surgery on his non-throwing shoulder — waits for the stalemate to end. But closure could be coming soon, at least if the Panthers (and not Seattle or another team) are going to trade for him. My sense is the Panthers don’t want the quarterback situation — which has been in question essentially since the season ended and they began their pursuit of Watson — to linger over the summer after minicamp wraps.

[DaveThePanther2008]

I still don't see us giving in on the salary.  We may want him but they are going to have to eat most of his salary.  Especially since Denver got us to eat most of TB5's contract.  We would be the laughing stock of the NFL if we didn't make Cleveland eat most of it.

I personally believe Cleveland will cut him before they let him show up at minicamp. 

[PandaMan]

How about no.  We could use more attitude on the team, which Baker has in spades, but Corral has fire in him when I watch the dude on the field.  Luke-esque in how he seems almost soft spoken and calm off the field, but the animal comes out when the pads come on.  Please don’t waste money or draft assets on Baker.  I like him as a player for the most part (maybe because him shredding us his rookie year is imbedded in my mind), but this isn’t the right place for him.  Take the lumps and move on.  

[PandaMan]

19 minutes ago, DaveThePanther2008 said:

I still don't see us giving in on the salary.  We may want him but they are going to have to eat most of his salary.  Especially since Denver got us to eat most of TB5's contract.  We would be the laughing stock of the NFL if we didn't make Cleveland eat most of it.

I personally believe Cleveland will cut him before they let him show up at minicamp. 

I think they’ll cut him, too.  It’s obvious he won’t play for them anymore and they rolled out, steam cleaned, beat it with a stick and dry cleaned the red carpet for Deshaun Watson to come on in.  Their hands are tied with Baker and it’s their own doing.  I’m really curious to see where he goes 

[TheSpecialJuan]

Joe Schmo 

[Jon Snow]

[Jackie Lee]

31 minutes ago, PandaMan said:

I think they’ll cut him, too.  It’s obvious he won’t play for them anymore and they rolled out, steam cleaned, beat it with a stick and dry cleaned the red carpet for Deshaun Watson to come on in.  Their hands are tied with Baker and it’s their own doing.  I’m really curious to see where he goes 

If they were going to cut him, wouldn't they take a 7th rounder and pay like 80% of the salary as a last minute deal? Not saying I want him but if I were the Browns anything is better than nothing. If it doesn't happen in the next week or so theres not point in anyone bringing him in during training camp unless theres a major injury or if he only costs a couple million to upgrade your backup QB spot for one year

[PandaMan]

2 minutes ago, Jackie Lee said:

If they were going to cut him, wouldn't they take a 7th rounder and pay like 80% of the salary as a last minute deal? Not saying I want him but if I were the Browns anything is better than nothing. If it doesn't happen in the next week or so theres not point in anyone bringing him in during training camp unless theres a major injury or if he only costs a couple million to upgrade your backup QB spot for one year

You would think so, but the Browns front office has been pretty baffling this offseason.  They seemed like they knew what they were doing last year, so I guess it’s time for them to go back to doing weird things 

[mc52beast]

2 hours ago, DaveThePanther2008 said:

I still don't see us giving in on the salary.  We may want him but they are going to have to eat most of his salary.  Especially since Denver got us to eat most of TB5's contract.  We would be the laughing stock of the NFL if we didn't make Cleveland eat most of it.

I personally believe Cleveland will cut him before they let him show up at minicamp. 

We already are the laughingstock of the NFL

[CRA]

2 hours ago, WarPanthers89 said:

. The higher the draft pick that Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer is willing to include in the deal, the more cash the Browns presumably would be willing to throw in to make it happen.

 

The scariest part of the article right there.  The pick(s). 

no reporter on either side talks about Sam.  That’s a huddle thing.   And it sounds like the money talk is hand in hand with the pick talk. 

[Basbear]

1 hour ago, Jackie Lee said:

If they were going to cut him, wouldn't they take a 7th rounder and pay like 80% of the salary as a last minute deal? Not saying I want him but if I were the Browns anything is better than nothing. If it doesn't happen in the next week or so theres not point in anyone bringing him in during training camp unless theres a major injury or if he only costs a couple million to upgrade your backup QB spot for one year

I heard the main (or one of) reason for not cutting him, is him would sign with the steelers. With the contract in hand, they still have some control about which team he is being traded to.

[Jackie Lee]

1 minute ago, Basbear said:

I heard the main (or one of) reason for not cutting him, is him would sign with the steelers. With the contract in hand, they still have some control about which team he is being traded to.

Trubisky, Pickett and Mayfield? I believe that pre-draft but I don't see any AFC teams really left really that would pick him up, maybe the Texans. I really think his only options are us and maybe Seahawks?

[Jon Snow]

6 minutes ago, CRA said:

The scariest part of the article right there.  The pick(s). 

no reporter on either side talks about Sam.  That’s a huddle thing.   And it sounds like the money talk is hand in hand with the pick talk. 

That is a deal breaker for me.  No draft picks for that turd. We've already made that mistake, let's not repeat that mistake again. 

[Basbear]

8 minutes ago, Jackie Lee said:

Trubisky, Pickett and Mayfield? I believe that pre-draft but I don't see any AFC teams really left really that would pick him up, maybe the Texans. I really think his only options are us and maybe Seahawks?

Well can bring along Kevins playbook as well. Pickett is not good enough to scare away signing Baker, much the same thing about panthers with Sammy boy.

Baker has a vendetta against browns, hed almost go to the place where hes playing them 2x. Steelers would be on top of the list if he was a FA. 

 

We see this play out alll the time, like would the panthers trade CMC to the bucs??? I hope to god no.... many times the player has a list and the team has their list.....and sometime they not only want the players out of their 4 team group but the whole division as well.  

Edited June 6, 2022 by Basbear