Browns’ Baker Mayfield could see contract talks stretch into regular season, per report

Baker Mayfield will likely be a extremely, extremely rich man at some point. When that will take place is even now anyone’s guess, though. It continues to be a solid possibility the former 1st-in general pick lands his deal extension with the Cleveland Browns at some place in 2021, but the timeline slides left or ideal dependent upon with whom you converse. As it stands, the two sides have reportedly not experienced any substantive talks as education camp strategies, per Mary Cabot of Cleveland.com, and negotiations could attain into the standard year — into Oct.

This is in distinction with what 1 of Mayfield’s agents, Jack Mills, is speculating. Mills not too long ago observed he expects a offer to be completed this summer time, producing it very clear he’d instead it get finalized significantly quicker than later. 

“We’re not likely to be dragging it out,” Mills said. “I consider you will find been more than enough contracts completed for quarterbacks currently that give us a very superior concept of what the industry is. And, of program, we know that the [wage] cap just isn’t likely up this 12 months but it is really likely up following 12 months and following. We very significantly know what is actually coming on down the highway and what is actually been completed. 

“We do not have any specific reluctance about undertaking a offer. … But I consider something will be completed this summer time.” 

That said, he also just isn’t naive to the truth the NFL is a small business.

“As much as making an attempt to get a offer completed, I do not know if it’ll get completed,” he extra. “It really is something that would be very significantly in the team’s management.”

The Browns have been unequivocal thus much in publicly declaring their adoration for Mayfield as their QB of each now and into the horizon, getting now exercised his fifth-12 months possibility that keeps him in Cleveland by way of the 2022 year. But the extended they wait around to get a new offer completed, the more it will inevitably value them, and not merely owing to a perennially climbing industry. It really is also due to the fact with Dak Prescott getting now secured his historic offer from the Dallas Cowboys, each Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are on track to probably blow earlier him as early as this summer time with new discounts from the Buffalo Expenses and Baltimore Ravens, respectively.

Mayfield has been regular in his creation in his 1st three seasons and saw a considerable improvement in his conclusion-producing, likely from a job-higher 21 interceptions in 2019 to only eight last year. That drove his passer ranking to a job-higher mark of 95.nine, and naming Kevin Stefanski as head coach in 2020 furnished an quick spark along with Mayfield.

The group wishes to keep that likely for the lengthy run, and Mayfield’s agents are all set to speak yesterday.