Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns.
The game of quarterback musical chairs is almost over. It’s pretty much down to the Seattle Seahawks on one end and Baker Mayfield on the other.
Is Mayfield a dud or a savior? Is he worth the risk?
Should the Seahawks make a trade for him?
That’s what we asked our PNWS football writers. As you will see, opinions vary on the subject.
Definitely. The Seattle Seahawks and Baker Mayfield need each other.
The Cleveland Browns don’t need and can’t afford Baker Mayfield with Deshaun Watson in hand. Word is they are down to accepting a third-day pick for the former Heisman Trophy winner.
Seahawks management can’t be serious about making Drew Lock the starting quarterback. He’s flat-out awful. Since he came into the league in 2019, there is only one player with as many pass attempts as Lock (710) with a lower passer rating. That would be Sam Darnold.
To address the elephant in the room. Mayfield’s tenure in the NFL has been marked by immaturity. He also has a reputation for being difficult to work with. It’s true, and there are enough public examples to prove it.
Don’t forget he’s also won games for the NFL’s laughing stock franchise, even taking the Browns to the playoffs in 2020. Last season Mayfield went 6-8 with a torn labrum.
One last thing, this was a huge wake up call for Mayfield. The NFL is a different game. I think the result is he cleans up his act.
It’s a low-risk, high-reward situation. Mayfield is in the last year of his contract. If he fails, the two sides walk away from each other. If he succeeds, the Seahawks Franchise Tag him, and they have a year to work out a new deal.
One last thing, a small return to Cleveland for Mayfield will make him angry and determined. And that’s when Baker is at his most dangerous.
Joe Swenson
Mayfield has some skills that could be desirable. The Browns have cramped Baker’s capabilities. So if he’s inexpensive, make the deal. If it costs Seattle anything more than a third rounder, then no thanks, we can wait a year.
David Champion
I think Baker would be a good fit in Seattle, much like Matt Hasselbeck. Hear me out Matt was there to not lose a game while they tried to develop a running game.
Yes, I know that they didn’t go to the Super Bowl, but they made it to the playoffs on a 7-9 record. That was when the beast came out.
If the price is cheap, then I say take Mayfield for a year because, in the next draft, there will be some quality quarterbacks coming out that fit the NFL.
I might be bilious, I followed Baker in college, and I thought he had lots of potential to succeed in the NFL. He needs the right system to excel.
Herb Nightengale
I would make the trade for Baker Mayfield if the cost isn’t too high. A quarterback who has more success than they have on their roster is a good thing. The Seahawks need to build through the draft whether they are rebuilding or retooling.
No. Baker Mayfield has shown to not be an adult in a toxic child lead situation. Cleveland has repeatedly demonstrated that they don’t care about anything else other than winning football games. And even with this narrow-minded focus, they are still missing their target.
Mayfield has, or had, a much more favorable situation in Cleveland than what he’d be coming into in Seattle. Cleveland has a better offensive line, defense, and running game. On the other hand, the Seattle Seahawks’ wide receivers are better, so he might have a thrower’s chance.
Unfortunately, Mayfield showed he can’t be trusted with the keys to drive an NFL offense. The right system for him needs to be structured and as simple as possible for him to succeed adequately. Also, Mayfield has shown he can’t hold up to taking NFL hits.
Factor in the trade capital that is needed to acquire him, and the question is: Does the cost of acquiring Mayfield significantly elevate the chances for Seattle to win more than if Drew Lock or Jacob Eason is the starting quarterback?
The truthful and honest answer is marginal. Mayfield and Lock are similar in their inept abilities to play quarterback at the NFL level. It doesn’t make sense to have a repeat of the same guy. Save the trade capital and roll with what you have now.
I don’t want that crybaby in Seattle. Mayfield doesn’t have the maturity to be an NFL quarterback. He doesn’t have the ability to lead a team of professionals.
Pass on the Baker drama. I think the Seahawks would be better served just playing out the season with Lock at quarterback. If he does well, great if he doesn’t, it’s no big deal. Seattle has a pair of first-round picks next year in a better quarterback draft.
I also think Baker would stunt the growth AND maturity of D.K. Metcalf. He wouldn’t be worth the trouble of maybe 1 to 2 more wins in this lost season.
The PNWS staff is pretty divided on the Seattle Seahawks and Baker Mayfield. Four say yes, while three say no. What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.