Panthers Acquire QB Baker Mayfield In A Trade With Browns

The Baker Mayfield era in Cleveland is over as the Browns have traded the former first overall pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a 2024 conditional fifth-round pick, according to Tom Peliserro.

Mayfield spent four seasons with the Browns after being selected first overall by Cleveland during the 2018 NFL Draft. He compiled a 29-30 record over those four seasons.

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The Browns and Mayfield seemed to be on the outs before the team acquired former Texans quarterback, Deshaun Watson. The acquisition of Watson, despite mounting and currently unresolved sexual assault accusations, ended any shot at reconciliation between the Browns and Mayfield.

The former Oklahoma Sooner threw a career-high 27 touchdown passes his rookie season which set the league record for most passing touchdowns for a rookie quarterback. That record has since been Justin Herbert during the 2020 season.

The #Panthers have a new quarterback.

Carolina has acquired former #Browns QB Baker Mayfield for a conditional 5th-round pick in 2024.#NFL #NFLTwitter pic.twitter.com/TsOzg7ZVLG

— Full Press NFL (@FullPressNFL) July 6, 2022

In that 2020 season, Mayfield helped lead the Browns to an 11-5 record, a postseason appearance and victory. During that year, Mayfield completed 63 percent of his passes for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. However, in his three other seasons, the Browns won just six games with Mayfield as the starter.

Baker Mayfield is a Carolina Panther

After several years of relative success under Cam Newton, the Panthers have won just five games each of the last three seasons under a multitude of different quarterbacks, including a return of Newton a season ago. Currently, former Jet and another first-round pick from the 2018 NFL Draft, Sam Darnold, is entering his second season with the Panthers but will likely take a backseat to Mayfield.

The acquisition of Mayfield likely doesn’t change the hierarchy of the division as Tom Brady and the Buccaneers are favored to win to the NFC South for a second-straight season. In addition, the New Orleans Saints will likely be improved with a full season from Jameis Winston.

With that said, Cleveland was a situation Mayfield needed to leave and do so before the start of this season. In Carolina, Mayfield has talent around him in wide receiver Robby Anderson and running back Christian McCaffery to have success. Certainly more than he would have with Cleveland who may be faced with serious questions if and when Deshaun Watson is suspended for a long period of time.

First up for the Panthers to kick off the season? The Cleveland Browns.