Report: Browns QB Baker Mayfield Requests Trade, What it Means for Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are in the thick of much of the quarterback news swirling around the NFL lately, as they await trades to go down so that they may swoop in and make their own attempts to reel a new QB to Indianapolis.
They have been tied to rumors surrounding Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield in the event his team would trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
However, even though the Browns are now out on Watson, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that the damage has been done and Mayfield has requested a trade.
The biggest reason this news is significant for the Colts is that they are reportedly Mayfield's preferred destination in the event of a trade.
If he wants the Colts, they need a quarterback. Could a deal be coming? The plot now thickens, however, as the Browns reportedly do not intend to honor Mayfield's trade request:
Since making him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Browns and Mayfield have reached the postseason just once after finishing 11-5 in 2020. It's a contentious point in the pair's sometimes-rocky relationship.
For the most part, Mayfield has been average in his four seasons in Cleveland. He's started 59-of-60 games with a 29-30 record and gone 1,185-of-1,924 passing (61.6%) with 14,125 yards (7.3 YPA), 92 touchdowns, 56 interceptions, and a passer rating of 87.8. He also has 5 rushing touchdowns.
Mayfield has one year left on his current contract, which is a guaranteed $18.858 million.
The Browns certainly want to maintain having a starting quarterback after missing out on Watson. However, is the relationship with Mayfield beyond repair? It was recently reported that the two sides were "breaking up regardless" of what happened with Watson and that the Browns "want and adult" at quarterback. With Mayfield then requesting a trade on Thursday, it looks like this situation is already pretty ugly.
What hasn't been reported yet is whether or not the Colts actually have interest in Mayfield; it's only been speculated.
They recently traded former starting quarterback Carson Wentz and are now without a capable starter, so wanting Mayfield makes sense. Or does it?
A big reason the Colts reportedly wanted to move on from Wentz was his lackadaisical leadership style and how he seemed to rebuke strong coaching. His play on the field over the last few years has also been wildly inconsistent. When considering Mayfield's situation, that all sounds a little bit too familiar.
Should the Colts make a move for Mayfield? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!
Follow Jake on Twitter and Facebook @JakeArthurNFL. Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and Twitter.
Pre-order the Indy Draft Guide! Full Guide Drops on April 11. Only $8.99 with the code "draft"
