Baker Mayfield Traded to Panthers from Browns for Conditional 2024 Draft Pick

In exchange for a fifth-round pick, the Cleveland Indians traded quarterback Baker Mayfield to the Carolinas.

Carolina Panthers @Panthers

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Ian Rapoport reported that the two teams would split the $18.9 million salary of the quarterback. The split was broken down by Peter Schrager.

Peter Schrager @PSchrags

Browns will eat around $10.5 of Mayfield’s salary. One note— this by no means Mayfield is Week 1 starter. As someone who’s been saying all along Carolina has been the lone destination for Baker (check the tape) Sam Darnold is still VERY highly considered in that building. @gmfb

In the first week of the season, the Carolinas will host the Cleveland Indians in a game that will feature a former player.

Less than four months after he was acquired by the Browns in a trade from the Houston Texans, it was clear that he was going to leave. After playing with a harness, he had shoulder surgery.

The Browns did not limit themselves in their search for a new quarterback, even though it was thought that Mayfield would return to play. They gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract after meeting with him and persuading him to come to Cleveland.

The fall from grace was sudden, and it happened a year ago.

In 2020, he helped lead the Browns to their first playoff spot in 14 years, throwing for 3,563 yards and 26 touchdown against eight picks. It was a night-and-day change of fortune for him, which many feared would be the beginning of the end for him as a quarterback.

Kevin Stefanski's hiring as head coach seemed to change the trajectory of the school but only for a short time. The Browns didn't make the playoffs and watched as Beckham thrived for the Rams, who won the Super Bowl.

The falling-out was enough for theClevelandBrowns to claim they are a Super Bowl contender. The only thing left was to find a new quarterback, and Cleveland feels it has one.

The Carolinas have taken on distressed assets at the quarterback position in the past. It was Sam Darnold who backfired on the team a year ago. The top two quarterbacks taken in this year's draft are competing for the starting job.

The guaranteed amount of money will be $18.9 million.