Will there be tension if Baker Mayfield isn’t extended?

Baker Mayfield and a possible extension will be discussed ad nauseam this coming season. But if the Cleveland Browns don’t extend him in 2021, will there be tension?

For the first time since the Tim Couch era, the Cleveland Browns enter the offseason with the same starting quarterback for a third-straight season. Baker Mayfield took over the starting job in Week 3 of his rookie season back in 2018 and hasn’t relinquished it since.

This isn’t to say there haven’t been growing pains because there were. 2019, for example, was beyond rough with Freddie Kitchens failing to get the most out of his team, and Mayfield suffered more than any other player under that regime.

Then in 2020, he was learning another new system with his fourth head coach and fourth offensive coordinator in just three seasons. Following a slow start, Mayfield broke out and led Cleveland to 11 wins.

Now, Mayfield enters the final year of his rookie deal and there are already calls to lock him up long-term. There are, of course, pros and cons to making a move now but there was a question raised recently about whether or not waiting would create a situation similar to what the Dallas Cowboys are going through with Dak Prescott — where he has been trying to land a deal for a third-straight offseason with no movement whatsoever.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com was asked this by a reader and she was quick to say she doesn’t see the patient approach causing any ill-will between the player and front office. In addition to her saying that the two sides would be fine, she dives into some of the pros and cons of taking this approach, which includes the risk that Mayfield’s salary demands could skyrocket, which happened with Prescott who is now commanding somewhere around $40 million annually after originally wanting $35 million.

"“The same thing could happen for Mayfield if he has a great season. His market value is currently about $35 million a year, but if he makes the playoffs again in 2021 and maybe the Pro Bowl, his value will increase. Mayfield has always bet on himself, and he’ll gladly do the same here if it comes to that. Besides, with the new astronomical TV contracts coming soon, the cap should be significantly higher next year.” — Cabot, Cleveland.com"

The potential for a salary hike is probably the only con for the Browns. They believe in Mayfield but the fact is, he hasn’t been able to put together a full 16-game season at an elite level just yet. Sure, he was one of the best in the NFL from Week 7 through Week 17, but they have to ask themselves if that’s enough to justify giving him a massive deal.

Instead, they’re likely to see if he can replicate the success he found last season and then go from there. Sure, this could cause them to pay more money but when a player proves he’s worth north of $40 million no one complains about that.

In the end, the patient approach is likely the best. And the good news is, Baker Mayfield is intelligent enough to know that it’s likely in his best interest as well considering the potential for a rising salary cap as pointed out by Mary Kay — and that’s why he’s highly unlikely to feel slighted by being asked to prove himself once again.