The Cleveland Browns have all but moved on from Baker Mayfield. They handed Deshaun Watson a $230 million guaranteed bag, and signed a pair of backups.
However, Baker is still on the roster.
But, according to one NFL analyst, it’s Watson’s former team that should deal for the 2018 Rookie of the Year.
Per Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay:
One franchise that Mayfield could still wind up with is the Houston Texans. The club lacks an established veteran after letting Tyrod Taylor walk in free agency. Team brass opted against taking a prospect in the draft, leaving Davis Mills, who went 2-9 in his 11 starts last year, as the projected QB1 in Houston.
Mayfield would be an upgrade under center, especially if healthy. In 2020 he led the Browns to their first playoff victory since 1994 after going 11-5 in the regular season and throwing for 3,563 yards and 26 touchdowns against just eight interceptions.
Kay goes on to say that the move would make sense for both sides.
Returning to his home state of Texas to play in a low-stakes environment for this rebuilding franchise could help rehabilitate Mayfield’s career.
The costs would be cheap in terms of draft capital—a late-round pick should get it done—and finances, with Cleveland likely to absorb most of the remaining $18.9 million on Mayfield’s contract. … While most teams are staying away from Mayfield, the Texans should capitalize on a chance to secure the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 at a bargain-bin price.
If healthy, Baker Mayfield would certainly be an upgrade over a relatively unproven Davis Mills.
But it remains to be seen if any team will trade for the former Heisman winner given how obvious the Browns have made it that they’re ready to go forward without him.
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