Cleveland Browns: Can Baker Mayfield buy the Cleveland Indians?

Will Baker Mayfield make enough with Cleveland Browns to buy the Indians?

Can Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield buy the Cleveland Indians?

This sounds ridiculous. But it may not be as crazy as you think.

Recently, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed the richest contract in NFL history. What did he do with that money? He went out and bought into the ownership group of the Kansas City Royals.

The initial shock is that now NFL teams are paying their players enough money to buy professional sports franchises. This is a far cry from the day when fans were outraged that then professional baseball player Ricky Henderson signed a contract for $3 million a season. Or when Babe Ruth caused a scandal by making more than the president. In Ruth’s words,

"“I know, but I had a better year than Hoover.” – Reported reply when a reporter objected that the salary Ruth was demanding ($80,000) was more than that of President Herbert Hoover’s ($75,000)"

Ruth was right. He did have a better year than Herbert Hoover.

But that is the real question. Can Baker command Patrick Mahomes type money when it comes time for a contract extension? As fellow Dawg Pound Daily writer Dan Gilinsky has aptly pointed out, Pro Football Focus stresses that Baker must have a good year this year.

Never mind that Baker is on his third head coach in as many seasons. Or is in his third offense in as many seasons. If Mayfield can learn a new offense, adapt to a new head coach and thrive in an organization riddled with turmoil and turnover, then he deserves Mahomes type money.

Mayfield’s first season with the Browns he broke the rookie touchdown record. Go back and watch some of those games. Baker is an excellent quarterback. Unfortunately, last season the Browns regressed back into the three stooges mentality trying to score twice before the half and trusting kickers to win football games. But in year three, if the young quarterback can rise above the circumstances, he will truly become the quarterback this team’s needs and the fans deserve. To steal a quote from Prime Time, “Pay the man!”

The first thing Mayfield should do with this newfound Mahomesian money is buy into ownership of the Cleveland Baseball Team (God only knows what they will be called in two years). It may be too late to keep Francisco Lindor. But there may be players down the road that Baker might be able to convince the Dolan family to keep.

The Dolans are a dysfunctional nightmare. But if Baker can prove he can overcome the dysfunction of the Browns, just think what he could do for the Indians?