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The Cleveland Browns are still looking to find a solution to their Baker Mayfield problem. With no trade partner emerging yet, the Browns are following in the footsteps of the San Francisco 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo and have decided to excuse Mayfield from mandatory minicamp, according to Nate Ulrich.
The decision to excuse Mayfield from camp was mutual between the quarterback and the team, as the former No. 1 pick continues to push for a move out of Cleveland.
Baker Mayfield has been excused from next week’s mandatory mini-camp, per #Browns. Mutual decision between player and team
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) June 8, 2022
The 49ers just took the same steps with Jimmy Garoppolo regarding their own mandatory minicamp, though Jimmy G is also rehabbing from surgery. Garoppolo is also hopeful of being traded away from the organization this offseason as the 49ers prepare to usher in the Trey Lance era.
The Browns are now following suit with Mayfield, having acquired Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans while subsequently signing him to a fully guaranteed $230 million extension. Watson has 24 active civil cases pending against him alleging sexual misconduct, but that didn't stop the Browns from making him one of the richest players in NFL history.
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While the 49ers are expecting Garoppolo to turn up for training camp later in the offseason, it's unclear if the Browns have that same expectation for Mayfield. In all likelihood, both parties are probably hoping a trade comes to fruition before that point, though.
The Browns selected Mayfield with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He's due to make $18.85 million in 2022, and despite the Browns saying they'd be willing to stomach a portion of his salary in any deal, trade talks regarding the 27-year-old have cooled off of late.
