Baker Mayfield requested a trade from the Browns, telling ESPN correspondent Adam Schefter that “Cleveland is in the interest of both parties” to part ways with the star quarterback.
“Moving forward is in the mutual interest of both parties,” Mayfield told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “The relationship has gone too far to fix. It’s in the interests of both sides to move forward.”
However, the Browns told Mayfield’s camp that they were “not granting his request,” a source told ESPN’s Jake Trotter.
Mayfield’s request came on the same day that the Browns learned they were not bidding for quarterback Deshawn Watson in exchange for the Houston Texans.
The Browns were one of four teams that met with Watson last week to assess his interest in waiving the no-trade clause, but now they face significant uncertainty over the quarterback’s position.
A source told Trotter earlier Thursday that the Browns, who had fallen out of the race to acquire Watson, would prefer to move forward with Mayfield. But Mayfield’s request could force Cleveland to trade the quarterback, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2017 and then was selected first in the draft.
Mayfield is showing a lot of interest in the Colts, who are in the quarterback market after trading Carson Wentz for the commanders, and believes Indianapolis gives him a good chance to win, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
As Cleveland officials returned from Tuesday’s meeting with Watson, Mayfield released a statement on social media thanking the city of Cleveland and its fans “who really accepted me for who I am.”
“With many uncertainties, this is where my head and heart are,” Mayfield wrote in the preface to his message, which he addressed to Cleveland and posted on Instagram and Twitter.
A source told Trotter that Mayfield and his team learned of the Browns’ meeting with Watson through social media.
Mayfield had a tumultuous tenure in Cleveland, where he played under four head coaches during his first three seasons in the league. But he led Cleveland to its first playoff win in 26 years in the 2020 season and finished in the league’s top 10 in the QBR.
Mayfield suffered a labral tear in his shoulder preventing him from throwing in the second week of last season and struggled to the end, finishing 27th in the QBR as the Browns missed the playoffs and finished with a disappointing 8-9 record.
Mayfield, who underwent surgery to repair his upper lip on Jan. 19 and is expected to be fully cleared well before training camp, is entering the final year of his rookie deal that will net him $19 million in 2022.
Jake Trotter of ESPN contributed to this report.