Report: Browns' Baker Mayfield Wasn't Heavily Pursued by Colts Before Matt Ryan Trade

Cleveland Browns veteran Baker Mayfield, who requested a trade, won't be the team's starting quarterback in 2022 after the franchise acquired Deshaun Watson in a deal with the Houston Texans. He also won't be under center for the Indianapolis Colts, his preferred destination.

The Colts didn't even express heavy interest in Mayfield before they acquired Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons on Monday in exchange for a third-round pick, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

"The Colts were never as sweet on Baker Mayfield as he was on them," Cabot wrote.

Mayfield requested a trade from the Browns just one day before the franchise added Watson. He told ESPN's Adam Schefter that his relationship with the team "is too far gone to mend" and that it is in the best interest of both sides to part ways.

Mayfield's interest in playing elsewhere could have possibly grown over the years. According to ESPN's Jake Trotter, the 2018 first overall pick "had grown increasingly frustrated" with the Browns for making him play for four different head coaches in his first three seasons.

Trotter added that tensions escalated over time and that things "rapidly boiled over" last week.

Landing spots for Mayfield are beginning to dwindle. In addition to the Colts' addition of Ryan, the Falcons agreed to sign Marcus Mariota to a two-year deal and the New Orleans Saints are re-signing Jameis Winston to a two-year deal, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

The Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks could still be a landing spot for the veteran, but it's unclear how interested they are. The Seahawks could use a quarterback after trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, and Mayfield is certainly a better option than Drew Lock, whom the franchise received in the Wilson deal.

Mayfield struggled during the 2021 season, completing 60.5 percent of his passes for 3,010 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 14 games. However, he struggled with a shoulder injury throughout the season, and that likely impacted his performance.

Despite his struggles, Mayfield would be a good add for teams looking for a quarterback. And who knows, if he could find some consistency with a head coach, his game might improve.

Mayfield has an $18.8 million cap hit in 2022 before becoming a free agent in 2023, per Spotrac. His price tag could potentially complicate things, as teams might not believe he's worth it.