No criminal charges for Deshaun Watson

[dtgold88]

A full season is useful in a way for the Browns. For one thing it would provide clarity around the team makeup AND take the backlash off the table for an entire year, after which the topic will be less radioactive.

With that they might want to send Baker a river of flowers. If they’re paying most of his salary this year anyway it would be nuts to not start him over Brissett.

I think I might prefer a full season over, say, 12 games as if I'm not mistaken if it's a full season this season wouldn't count as far as his contract goes. 12 might not either but not sure of cutoff.

 

[dtgold88]

Sorry coach my back is out, sprained my ankle, think I pulled my hammy, shoulder that I had surgery on is hurting and stiff don't think I can go...

sorry, Baker, but our doctors cannot find anything. Do you have a doctor who would corroborate your story? I mean, you just played last season knowing you needed surgery, so.....?

 

[dtgold88]

Baker’s gotta think about his next contract. If his last good year going into the 2023 season is 2020 and he’s been whiny and injured the past two years and lacking leadership, his next contract will be garbage - if he even gets one.

If he provides a steady hand and gets them to the playoffs with solid play, it could mean the difference between a five-year $100 million contract with somebody and a two-year $6 million contract.

Hell, if he did what you suggested he'd probably looking at more like 4-5 years and $30-35 mil per or more.

 

[dtgold88]

Watson won't and didn't play last season at all, also he might not play this season. Baker isn't Watson but he played decent in 2020 and injured shoulder last season. He's going to want to screw the Browns back for what he feels was unjust and the best way to do that is force them to start Brissett and try to force the Browns to release him. Judging from his reactions once he heard the Browns were chasing after Watson I'm pretty confident he'll never play a snap for the Browns.

His reaction of requesting a trade because he knew Watson would start means it's a lock he'd refuse to be the #1 guy if watson is out?

 

[dtgold88]

Where do you get that he could have extended his contract after the 2020 season? Browns choose to do the fifth year option and as far as I can tell they didn't try to extend him. Just one more grievance Baker has with the Browns.

"Far as you can tell"? Were you thinking you'd be getting updates about negotiations between the Browns and Baker?

 

[dtgold88]

Yes, and if I'm a GM looking at signing Mayfield I'd fully understand him not wanting to ever play another snap for the Browns. Hell he could go out play one snap and have a major injury, for a team that wants nothing to do with him.

If the Browns have him play then it's hard to say they want nothing to do with him, isn't it? do they want him around as a backup? Nope....and likely that's not something Baker would want either which was why he requested a trade.

 

[dtgold88]

Exactly, why in the hell risk a injury to save the Browns when they only want to use you up and discard you.

Because you signed a contract and you are a professional...in addition, playing and playing well helps you with your next contract?

 

[dtgold88]

Opinion piece speculating what the cost of a extension would cost the Browns. You got a link that shows Mayfield wasn't interested in an extension?

His value right now is rock bottom and will be until he goes to a new team and shows them that he would help the team and roster. If he becomes a FA he'll sign a prove it deal and if he gets traded he'll have to play well for his new team. FA or traded he's risking an injury but at least it's not for a team who has no intention of giving him another contract and has already traded for his replacement. I'll be stunned if Mayfield ever plays for the Browns again.

Got a link showing proof no offer was made to him? FYI, I do agree Baker was interested in an extension at the right price. same for both parties.

 

[dtgold88]

I don't think Mayfield wants to give then a nanosecond of his time.

Fair to think that...but knowing the type of guy he's been in the past part of you wouldn't even consider he'd like to ball out and prove everyone wrong? sure, he'd probably prefer it be elsewhere but no chance he'd rather play here than sit out?

 

[dtgold88]

Or a one year prove it.

He's like a woman scorned. I think now it's more about his fragile ego not the $.

Time will tell.

This certainly could be spot on but sure seems possible he'd rather play here than sit out if those were his only 2 options.

 

[dtgold88]

Could actually happen.

could, but also might be more likely he plays here than that happening.

 

[dtgold88]

Inflation. Every non-stopgap starting QB not on a rookie deal is making $25M+ per year, and all but Brady and Cousins are on contracts of $120 million+. That includes Goff, Wentz and Tannehill, who are all making $30M a year.

If Mayfield had a 2022 year like 2020, he'd definitely be in line for a $100M five-year contract in 2023 as a starter somewhere, which would be way below all those guys.

As things are now he'd be lucky to get a three-year $25M contract. And that won't improve by him sitting.

(Mayfield did have a four-game stretch in 2020 where he averaged 300+ yards, 2.5 passing TDs, and a 70% completion rate, so yeah he probably would need a Mahomes or Allen stretch, but he's capable of it.)

That's why I think if the Browns don't move him or cut him, he'll want to play. But he'll want the Browns to do an apology dance first. Which they would probably do.

Yes...if someone wants to argue no way Baker could have a season like that then that's a different topic, but IF he did he is certainly in line with what you are saying and likely a lot more.

 

[dtgold88]

However at the moment Mayfield is considered a stop-gap QB. I hear stuff like he's better the Lock, he's better then Darnold but that just a contest on who smells the least offensive. Filling in for Watson isn't going to convince anyone different. He's going to have to prove himself in the same manner that Tannehill did, go to a new team and prove himself. All filling in for Watson does is risking a injury.

want to say he wont play well, then OK but he said what would happen IF he played well.

 

[dtgold88]

Yes, roster space. Gotta remember teams cut guys they want to keep, because those on IR must be on the roster on final cut, to be moved to IR and then they hope they can bring back one or two guys. I really doubt the Browns burn a spot on a guy they don't want, and he doesn't want to be there.

But you "really believe" they'd pay him $19 mil to play elsewhere and potentially beat them...AND possibly play a lesser QB in a win now season?

 

[rmilia1]

I think with Ryan, you are tapping into his veteran status, his leadership ability, and the hope that a change in scenery will help ignite some of that talent. I mean, it was just 2020 that Ryan was 4th in yards, and 2019 he was 7th. It's not like he's been 3-4 years of sub 4K passing yards like in 2021 (though it was one of his highest comp% years recently at 67%).

You're not really getting anything like that with Baker. So, he's not going to bring the same compensation - especially with teams knowing how bad the situation is in Cleveland. Cleveland can either accept its fate, eat the majority of the salary (I'm going to guess $12M) and take a low end draft pick (I'm guessing 6th) - or be stuck paying the entire thing when they cut him.

You can pretty much throw out last year when judging Ryan

When youre WR corp is comprised of a WR4 as you WR1 and the rest is practice squad players, your starting RB is a career special teamer and your OL has 3 of the 5 lowrst graded offensive linenen in the entire league all starting at the sans time its not really an accurate gauge of a guys ability


Frankly its a miracle Ryan managed to win 7 games with that roster as it was a 2 win roster

 

[dtgold88]

OK, why keep a guy you know you don't want, and he doesn't want to be there?

I fully believe a trade will happen before final cuts, just a matter of who blinks first.

Because you put too much into Baker requesting a trade when it was clear Watson is the #1. Not sure why you ignore things would be different if Watson could not play for both the Browns and Baker.

 

[dtgold88]

We don't truly know what that relationship would look like

Exactly!! so many think they know even though we have no clue.

Did Baker request a trade when it seemed like watson was the #1 and were the Browns looking to oblige? Yep. But with no Watson for a long time both parties might see things differently.

Might they want nothing to do with each other? sure.....but at least when it comes to the Browns I am confident they will not let emotion cloud their judgement.

 

[Manster7588]

If the Browns have him play then it's hard to say they want nothing to do with him, isn't it? do they want him around as a backup? Nope....and likely that's not something Baker would want either which was why he requested a trade.

Lets play it this way. Do you really think the Browns want him on the roster?

 

[dtgold88]

Brissett is capable. He has more offensive talent with the Browns than he did in Indy.

I mean, the QBs in Indy who were expected to start were anywhere from good to great there. Brissett was the only one who was mediocre to awful.

 

[dtgold88]

Lets play it this way. Do you really think the Browns want him on the roster?

No, they want Watson to not be out too long and no need for Baker. But I do think if Watson is out a long time and IF they think Baker is a much better alternative to JB they would give serious consideration to playing him.