The Carolina Panthers saved the Cleveland Browns from a potential quarterback controversy.
If Deshaun Watson ended up getting an indefinite suspension, the Browns would turn to Jacoby Brissett as their starter.
But if he struggled, Browns fans could clamor for Mayfield to start.
After all, he would still be under contract with the Browns via his fifth-year option worth roughly $18.8 million.
Alas, that possibility is now off the table.
Yet to a certain extent, Mayfield is still under the Browns’ payroll to some extent even if the trade has been announced.
Likewise, the former Heisman Trophy winner will still have the chance to earn the salary promised to him but with certain conditions.
The full Baker Mayfield trade:
– #Browns receive: 2024 5th-round pick that converts to a 4th-round pick if Mayfield plays 70% of the team’s offensive snaps in 2022.
– #Panthers receive: Baker Mayfield.
The $3.5M Mayfield gave back can be earned back via incentives.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 6, 2022
Pro Football Focus writer Ari Meirov revealed that the Browns get a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick that turns into a fourth-rounder if Mayfield plays 70% of the team’s snaps in 2022.
Meanwhile, the two teams will split Mayfield’s money with $10 million coming from the Browns and $5 million from the Panthers.
The former Oklahoma standout can earn the remainder of the $18.8 million through incentives.
The fact that Cleveland agreed to shell out more money shows how desperate they were to move him.
A Weird Coincidence To Open The 2022 Season
It’s an odd predicament that the Browns will be giving $10 million to a player who can defeat them in Week 1 of the upcoming season.
It just so happened that the schedule was already finalized before Mayfield became a Panther.
For Mayfield, nothing will beat the feeling of getting one back against his former team.
What’s more interesting is that he collected a nice sum of money from that the team he might defeat.
When that happens, Mayfield will have the last laugh after essentially being put on the sideline when Watson came to town.
NEXT: Panthers Fans Are Set To Witness A Competition This Summer