According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, impending free agent QB Baker Mayfield has “supporters” from within the Patriots’ organization, while New England has not shown any interest in Kirk Cousins thus far.
However, Kyed adds there are “impediments” to signing Mayfield and the Patriots are still most likely to find its quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Kyed points out Patriots’ executive Eliot Wolf was the Browns’ assistant GM when they drafted him in 2018, while he played under OC Alex Van Pelt and QB coach T.C. McCartney in Cleveland. Patriots senior personnel advisor Pat Stewart and senior offensive assistant Ben McAdoo also spent time with Mayfield with the Panthers.
The Buccaneers and Mayfield have made it clear that they have mutual interest in a deal to keep him in place as their quarterback. However, Mayfield is in a position to test the open market as one of the best available quarterbacks this offseason.
The Falcons have also shown interest in Mayfield and have him “at the top of their wish list” if they are unable to work out a trade for Bears QB Justin Fields.
Mayfield, 28, was drafted by the Browns with the No. 1 overall pick out of Oklahoma in 2018. He played out 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 would have cost Cleveland $18.858 million fully guaranteed in 2022. However, Cleveland traded Mayfield to the Panthers in exchange for a conditional 2024 fourth-round draft pick.
Cleveland agreed to cover $10.5 million of Mayfield’s salary with the Panthers paying out the rest. However, Carolina cut Mayfield during the season and he was claimed off waivers by the Rams, finishing out his contract in Los Angeles.
Last offseason he signed a one-year deal with Tampa Bay worth up to $8.5 million.
In 2023, Mayfield appeared in all 17 games for the Buccaneers and completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions to go along with 163 yards rushing and a touchdown.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2024 NFL Free Agents list.
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