The Cleveland Browns’ decision to acquire Deshaun Watson this past offseason effectively ended Baker Mayfield tenure with the franchise.
Now it’s just a matter of figuring out where the former Oklahoma standout will go.
Mayfield had a clear preferred landing spot, but was spurned in favor of a proven veteran.
Fortunately, it appears as though that wasn’t his only option.
According to ESPN NFL insider Jeff Darlington, the Pittsburgh Steelers also have very real interest in Mayfield.
Panthers? Seahawks? Steelers? 🤔
Where will Baker Mayfield end up this season? pic.twitter.com/Ucn1eZaIZy
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 20, 2022
“If for some reason the Browns, and I don’t expect this to happen, were to cut Baker Mayfield, I think he signs with the Pittsburgh Steelers the very next day,” he said.
Darlington is not the first person to make this point.
“The Steelers will pounce on Baker Mayfield if he becomes available,” NFL insider Mary Kay Cabot said on the “Orange and Brown Talk” podcast a while back.
It’s easy to see why Pittsburgh would have interest in Mayfield. The team is heading into 2022-23 with Mitch Trubisky as the presumed starter and Mason Rudolph backing him up. That doesn’t exactly inspire a ton of confidence.
The Steelers have seen enough of Mayfield to be keenly aware of his strengths and weaknesses, so clearly they feel like there’s promise there.
Does Mayfield come with a certain amount of red flags? Sure. His incident from a few weeks ago with a woman seemingly leaking his private DMs perfectly illustrates the highs and lows that often accompany him.
But none of that takes away from the fact that he can play. And there’s a fair case to be made that he has gotten an undeserved amount of criticism relative to what he had to work with in Cleveland.
Paige kept it real. https://t.co/931wgEJRr3
— Game 7 (@game7__) April 24, 2022
Will Mayfield ultimately end up with the Steelers? It’s hard to say. They’re definitely not the favorites.
But if the opportunity presents itself, it’s clear that there is very real interest there.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
