Account
Browns Rumors: Aaron Rodgers Trade Doesn't Interest CLE; 'All In' on Mayfield
May 9, 2021
Aaron Rodgers is reportedly looking for a new home for 2021, telling people within the Green Bay Packers organization that he wants to move on from the franchise. But he won't find that new home with the Cleveland Browns, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
Cabot said the Browns aren't looking to deal Baker Mayfield, their No. 1 overall pick in 2018. Affirming their commitment to him, the team picked up Mayfield's fifth-year option this offseason.
Mayfield carried the Browns to an 11-5 record in 2020, an improvement from the 6-10 campaign he led in 2019. En route to the team's divisional-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, he threw for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.
His third season in the league impressed the Browns, who are "ecstatic" with his performance. According to Cabot, the Browns are considering extending his contract. Doing so would be worth roughly $35 million a year, per Cabot.
"If all goes as hoped, Mayfield will keep the Browns in contention for the next decade or so," she wrote.
Mayfield will return for the final year of his rookie deal alongside all of his top weapons from 2020. Running back Nick Chubb, who had a 1,067-yard, 12-touchdown campaign through 12 games in 2020, and wideout Jarvis Landry (840 yards, three touchdowns) both are back, and Kareem Hunt, Rashard Higgins and Austin Hooper will also return.
Mayfield proved capable enough to compete with an AFC that hosts some of the league's top quarterbacks, and while Rodgers certainly wouldn't be a downgrade, the 26-year-old Mayfield is certainly a more viable plan than the 37-year-old Rodgers.