When the Browns traded Baker Mayfield to the Panthers on Wednesday, the only remaining piece to the complete the deal was Mayfield’s physical.
According to The Athletic’s Joe Person, Mayfield passed his physical on Thursday. As he gets adjusted to his new team, his salary was one of the main issues that held up his trade process.
Cleveland picked up Mayfield’s fifth-year option last year, which would have allowed the quarterback to earn $18.86 million this season. In completing Wednesday’s trade, Cleveland agreed to pay $10.5 million of Mayfield’s salary while the Panthers will pay approximately $5 million, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Mayfield, meanwhile, took a $3.5 million pay cut in the deal.
The Browns therefore saved $8 million in cash and cap space, per Garafolo.
Cleveland reportedly wanted to keep Mayfield in January. However, things changed when the Browns traded for former Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who faced 25 civil lawsuits that described accounts of sexual harassment and assault (20 of which have now been settled and one of which was dropped in light of privacy concerns). Days before the Cleveland executed the trade for Watson in March, Mayfield asked for a trade from Cleveland.
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Mayfield helped guide the Browns to their first playoff appearance since 2002 in the 2020 season, throwing for more than 3,500 yards and 26 touchdowns. But, in the 2021 season, Mayfield’s production took a hit as he threw for 3,010 yards, 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and suffered a shoulder injury.
With Mayfield joining the Panthers quarterback room, the franchise reportedly envisions him and quarterback Sam Darnold competing for the starting job.
In June, prior to the Mayfield trade, Rhule said Darnold would be the team’s signal caller if they had to play a game.
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