Baker Mayfield Rumors: NFL Insider Says Teams Would 'Pounce' on Browns QB If Released

The market for Baker Mayfield might heat up dramatically if the Cleveland Browns quarterback becomes a free agent.

Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson spoke to an NFC personnel official who cited Mayfield's $18.9 million salary as an impediment to his exit from Cleveland.

"A lot of teams want him but aren’t going to take on the salary," the source said to Robinson. "They will all pounce on him once [Cleveland] has to cut him."

That echoes what NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Friday:

If a trade fails to materialize, the Browns will have to eat his salary by releasing him. It appears any interested suitors are prepared to force the team's hand.

Cleveland has not only acquired Deshaun Watson to be its new franchise quarterback but also signed Jacoby Brissett to presumably be the backup/emergency starter.

Even though Watson could be suspended and still faces 22 civil lawsuits following accusations of sexual assault and misconduct, it's unlikely the franchise keeps Mayfield given both his contract and his stated dissatisfaction.

The Browns find themselves in a similar situation to the San Francisco 49ers, who have yet to move Jimmy Garoppolo.

In Mayfield, they have a quarterback who's theoretically good enough to be a starter.

The 26-year-old endured a difficult 2021 season that can be partially attributed to his shoulder trouble. In 2020, he was much better as he threw for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions on a team that won 11 games and reached the playoffs.

But like San Francisco, Cleveland has little leverage. Everybody knows the team wants to move on, and Mayfield isn't so good that he would catapult another franchise into Super Bowl contention.

General manager Andrew Berry might have little choice but to cut the 2018 No. 1 overall pick to resolve the matter.