The Browns blew it; Baker Mayfield officially requests to be traded

Baker Mayfield is fed up with the Cleveland Browns

Jimmy Haslam has only himself to blame. Baker Mayfield has officially requested a trade and will likely never play another down for the Cleveland Browns again. While his play was on the level of an all-time great, he played better than any other quarterback the team has had since 1999, and was a reliable enough presence that he could get you to, and even win you, some football games in the playoffs. Yet, Haslam allegedly ordered the team to pursue Deshaun Watson. Then someone from the Browns leaked that management (presumably Haslam), wanted an “adult” at quarterback while attempting to woo the man facing 22 sexual misconduct lawsuits.

It really feels like this is all Haslam, considering the man’s history of mismanagement in the Browns organization.

Ironically, the usually hot-headed Mayfield has stayed fairly even keel during this whole process. He released a heartfelt message that fans loved, he hasn’t lashed out and insulted anyone, and has largely proven that he can in fact avoid making waves.

Yet, it was the Browns who acted childish by insulting him. Not by pursuing Watson, that just insulted the fans, but by actually leaking information to Chris Mortensen about how they view Mayfield.

It was utterly disrespectful to drag Mayfield through the mud, especially after Mayfield played through the 2021 season with a torn shoulder.

The Cleveland Browns have declined Baker Mayfield’s request

The Cleveland Browns have no interest in trading Mayfield, which is just obnoxious. He wasn’t good enough to not pursue an upgrade, but he’s good enough to be the backup plan? Come on, if he’s not good enough to not upgrade, then move on from him.

It’s not a hard concept.

It’s also obnoxious that only one side can decide what they want. A team wants to trade you, “shut up, it’s just business”, but when a player wants out it’s “he’s a prima donna!”

It makes no sense and it’s such a double standard. If you’re not being treated well, and Mayfield was not, despite his lackluster play, why shouldn’t he be allowed to move on? Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Deshaun Watson himself all wanted trades in the last two years.

Mayfield hasn’t had near the level of success but if you allow one to be able to make that type of demand, you have to allow all. There’s no place for hypocrisy.

Honestly, I feel like this whole thing would’ve been fine for Mayfield if it wasn’t for the Browns insulting him through Chris Mortensen. The “Browns want an adult at quarterback” comment ruined this whole relationship.

Why wouldn’t it? Who thought that was a good idea to leak it to the press?

That one line ruined any chance of reconciliation. It’s fine to look for what else is out there, but to insult you to the entire world while you’re doing it? After you just played an entire year with a destroyed shoulder?

Talk about toxic.

Anyone who thinks Mayfield doesn’t have a right to demand to play for a less incompetent, less-toxic organization, really needs to re-think things. If your employer was insulting you to everyone you knew, you’d want out too. Don’t even lie. The framing is that Mayfield has an attitude issue, and If Mayfield’s attitude is the problem, then look to the leadership of the organization.

After all, to quote Remember the Titans; “Attitude reflects leadership…”

And the Browns are led by a Jimmy Haslam. So of course Mayfield has an “attitude issue” because the Browns have a leadership issue.