Browns Announce Seven Moves Including Placing QB Baker Mayfield On IR

The Cleveland Browns announced seven roster moves ahead of Week 18 including placing QB Baker Mayfield on the injured reserve. 

We have placed QB Baker Mayfield and LB Sione Takitaki on injured reserve and made other roster moves

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 5, 2022

The full list includes:

• Browns placed QB Baker Mayfield (shoulder) and LB Sione Takitaki (shoulder) on injured reserve. 
• Browns promoted QB Nick Mullens and signed RB Dexter Williams from Miami’s practice squad. Williams was also placed on the COVID-19 list. 
• Browns activated LB Tony Fields II from COVID-19 list. 
• Browns signed RB Artavis Pierce to the practice squad. 

This doesn’t come as a surprise given Mayfield is expected to undergo shoulder surgery in January. 

Mayfield has gutted through a torn labrum from multiple dislocations in his left throwing shoulder, along with a number of other injuries, virtually all season. As long as the Browns were in playoff contention, he was willing to play through the injury.

Mayfield, 26, was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick out of Oklahoma in 2018. He’s in the fourth year of a four-year, $32.68 million rookie deal that included a $21.85 million signing bonus. 

The Browns exercised Mayfield’s fifth-year option which will cost Cleveland $18.858 million fully guaranteed in 2022. 

In 2021, Mayfield has appeared in 14 games and completed 60.5 percent of his passes for 3,010 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He has also rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown.