5 trade or releases Cleveland Browns could make this offseason

Cleveland Browns player No. 2 to be traded: Baker Mayfield

Where are the Browns with Baker Mayfield these days? Will they keep him around on the last year of his rookie contract or are they considering other possibilities including trading him this offseason? It seems to be the biggest question mark for Cleveland this offseason and doesn’t show any signs of going away.

With the free agency window opening up soon in the league and the NFL draft just a couple of months away, many things could happen with the Mayfield. The organization says they support the quarterback. But after four seasons of ups and downs and the team and Mayfield not reaching a new contract deal yet, as Mayfield enters his fifth season, helps create these ongoing concerns.

Some teams may consider trading for Mayfield including a team like the Houston Texans, who have a new coaching staff coming in this next season. It might be considered a stretch by some, but the Browns need wide receivers next season, especially if the team were to release a wide receiver like Jarvis Landry.

The Texans best receiver is Brandin Cooks. He had a great season statistically for the Texans where he caught 90 passes for 1037 yards and six touchdowns.

However, the Texans had a terrible season last year and Cooks is on the last year of his current contract before he becomes a free agent in 2023. According to Spotrac, if the Texans wide receiver were traded after June 1, they’d save $13.7 million in cap space and only absorb $2.5 million in dead cap money.

Swapping the Browns quarterback and the Texans receiver would be an opportunity for both to start something new and give both teams a boost.

There are several other teams like the Washington Commanders or New Orleans Saints that are looking for a veteran quarterback and new beginnings for their franchises as well.

If the Browns, were to trade Mayfield to another team and couldn’t get a veteran quarterback back in return, like a Kirk Cousins, from the Minnesota Vikings, the team could also look to picking up a veteran free agent quarterback like Mitch Trubisky, of the Buffalo Bills, who was the regular starter for the Chicago Bears before going to the Bills last season in a backup role.

The decision on Mayfield and moving forward will be the biggest move by the Browns and it needs to be evaluated thoroughly. Mayfield could bounce back from a season where he was injured for much of it, or he could continue to struggle. Stay tuned Browns fans. The offseason is just starting to warm up.