Browns Planning To Retain QB Baker Mayfield For 2022

According to Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, the Browns and QB Baker Mayfield both plan to stay together for 2022. 

Mayfield had his exit meeting with HC Kevin Stefanski on Friday and the two sides resolved to continue to work on the cracks in their relationship that missing the playoffs exposed this past season. 

Pelissero and Rapoport add it would have been difficult to both trade Mayfield while he’s coming off shoulder surgery and find a better replacement this offseason. 

The plan will be for Mayfield to play out his fifth-year option in Cleveland in 2022, with the franchise tag available should the Browns need it in 2023. 

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

We’ll have more on the Browns and Mayfield as the news is available.