For Baker Mayfield it’s been a tumultuous few years. As the NFL’s #1 draft pick in 2018, Mayfield landed at the worst franchise in American Football, the Cleveland Browns. He signed a $32 million contract with the Browns, along with inking a whole host of endorsement deals. His rookie year was positive, as the quarterback led the Browns to their best record in over a decade and broke the record for the most touchdowns thrown by a rookie.
Despite the high expectations for his second season, 2019 was a step back for Mayfield. A new head coach came in and the Browns went backwards, as Mayfield threw almost as many interceptions as touch downs. In 2020, Mayfield and the Browns recovered. The Browns made their first playoff appearance since 2002, and won their first playoff game since 1994. Mayfield looked like he might be the face of the franchise for a long time.
Expectations were high in 2021, but Mayfield and the Browns sunk again. Mayfield spent most of the season injured, playing in a harness. In frustration, after he threw an interception, Mayfield attempted a tackle he shouldn’t have, and ended up with a torn labrum (a rim of cartilage in the shoulder). The tear affected his ability to throw, and despite his increasing lameness, he couldn’t be convinced to stop playing and head for surgery early. The pressure was on with the 5th year option on his contract coming up, and he clearly didn’t want to give up his job.
Regardless, in 2022 the Browns wanted to move on. It was quite the indignity; Mayfield was the first #1 draft pick in some time to have the team that drafted him not pick up the 5th year option of his contract. After recovering from labrum surgery, Mayfield was signed by the Carolina Panthers. Unfortunately, he played poorly and was benched. Towards the end of the season Mayfield asked to be released. Needing a quarterback, the depleted Los Angeles Rams signed him, offering an opportunity for Mayfield to showcase himself. He won his first game with a miracle play in the last minute, but otherwise struggled.
This season Mayfield signed with the Tampa Bay Bucs on a low, incentive based deal. His base salary is $4 million, when the top quarterbacks in the league are earning $40-50 million annually. And it’s probably his last chance. Don’t perform and there’s no prospect of big contracts in his future.
Positively, Mayfield has enjoyed a good preseason and been named as the Bucs starting quarterback for 2023, but if you’re thinking this is a football story, it’s not.
The same week Mayfield was named as starter for the Bucs, another piece of less positive news emerged.
Read the full “Quarterback Money Blues” Post
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