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Baker Mayfield 'Shocked' the Browns Moved On, Now Focused on Winning in Carolina

The former Oklahoma legend finally has the fresh start he's been looking for.
Ross Lovelace|
Baker Mayfield 'Shocked' the Browns Moved On, Now Focused on Winning in Carolina
Baker Mayfield 'Shocked' the Browns Moved On, Now Focused on Winning in Carolina

Baker Mayfield has been at the center of one of the NFL’s biggest off-season debacles in Cleveland.

After leading the Browns to the playoffs in 2020, Mayfield struggled over the course of the 2021 season while playing through a significant shoulder injury.

His inconsistent play prompted the Browns to trade with Houston for Deshaun Watson, who is currently facing a series of sexual misconduct allegations. Recently, the saga finally came to a close as Mayfield was traded to the Carolina Panthers.

The 2017 Oklahoma Heisman winner will get a fresh start under coach Matt Rhule and a chance to compete for the top spot on the depth chart. He seemed upbeat and excited in a Zoom call with NFL media on Tuesday.

"I want to be a starter, I want to be a franchise-level quarterback for years, and hopefully, it's here in Charlotte," Mayfield said in the interview. "But for me, it was about competing, getting to a place where the competition is going to make me get better. And I want a level playing field, and I want to elevate the guys around me and be the best version of myself.”

While the scenery will look much different, the number will stay the same. Mayfield said he will continue wearing No. 6, the same number he wore for the Sooners, after negotiating a deal with punter Johnny Hekker.

In addition, the former Cleveland quarterback will no longer be starring in Progressive’s “At Home With Baker” commercial series.

The job won’t be handed to Mayfield, however, who still has to beat out former No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold for the starting spot. If Mayfield does win it, though, the Panthers' Week 1 matchup will instantly become one of the NFL’s juiciest storylines of the season. Carolina opens up the season at home against the Browns.

"I'm not going to sit here and be a robot and tell you that's not one I've marked on the calendar already," Mayfield said. "One, that's not who I am. To me, it's about winning games. Whoever we have marked on the schedule, I'm going to try to win.

“Obviously, this one has a little more history and personal meaning, but for me, it's about winning and setting the tone for the rest of the year, and however I can help this team do that, I'm going to do."

This is a spot Mayfield is comfortable in, as he seems to thrive when the odds are stacked against him. In the interview, he compared his current situation to what happened during his time at Oklahoma, when he showed up on campus unafraid of competition. The Sooners had seemingly found their quarterback of the future in Trevor Knight when Mayfield opted to walk-on from Texas Tech.

"It's pretty familiar," Mayfield said. "Obviously, the NFL is different than college, but walking on twice, and having to go through that process, you level the playing field. You compete against other guys, and you build confidence in yourself. It's very similar to when I left Texas Tech to go to Oklahoma. They had one of my best friends, Trevor Knight, who had just won the Sugar Bowl, was the MVP, he was going to be a sophomore. I decided to transfer there, knowing there was going to be competition, and it wasn't going to be easy."

Now, Mayfield will look to connect with teammates and familiarize himself with the playbook ahead of training camp in two weeks. The Panthers open the season on September 11.

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Ross has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Sooners since 2018. He's made guest appearances on various radio stations and the Sooners On SI podcast. Ross enjoys public speaking and has done so at multiple churches and high schools across the OKC metro area. In addition to writing, Ross has been the Play-by-Play announcer for Crossings’ basketball and football programs since 2020. In high school, Ross started with Thunder Digest, where he discovered his passion for writing. From there, he worked for the OU Daily as a women's basketball reporter and worked for Sooners On SI and Thunder On SI. Ross holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Ross played basketball and wrote for his own Thunder blog at Crossings High School in OKC. He enjoys reading, New York Jets football and a week at the beach. Ross and his wife live in New Orleans, where he is a Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator at the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee. His Twitter handle is @Rosslovelace.

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