This Cleveland Browns trade for DK Metcalf is so bad it hurts

Jake Trotter pitched the most absurd trade ever for DK Metcalf and the Cleveland Browns.

Jake Trotter is good at his job as a reporter. He is bad at his hobby of fantasy GM’ing. Trotter took part in a recent ESPN article where he, representing the Browns, and six other writers representing teams (Jets, Saints, Packers, Chiefs, Falcons, Eagle) proposed trades for DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks.

Since the Tyreke Hill trade, everyone and their brother has been attempting to predict who the next big receiver to be traded is and many think it’s Metcalf; the physical freak out of Seattle.

Metcalf is young, powerful, and has the frame of a tight end with the speed of a receiver. Trading him really doesn’t make sense unless he’s ready to move on. So what did Trotter come up with to “land” Metcalf?

From ESPN.com;

"Jake Trotter’s offer: The Browns would trade a 2023 second-round pick and quarterback Baker Mayfield.Inside the offer: The Browns need to unload Mayfield anyway, and packaging him with a second-rounder might entice Seattle. Cleveland, which traded away its first-round pick in the 2022 draft to acquire Deshaun Watson, likely would only deal next year’s pick so that it could keep its top pick (No. 44) this year. The Seahawks could get a one-year look at Mayfield and add the pick to their trove for a potential rebuild.Seattle could be a decent landing spot for Mayfield, who would seemingly mesh with coach Pete Carroll and the type of offense he wants to run. The Seahawks might provide Mayfield with his best chance to start in 2022.For the Browns, Metcalf and Amari Cooper would give them an imposing front-line receiving duo. They are looking for a No. 2 wideout, but landing Metcalf would give them two No. 1-caliber options for Watson."

I’ve been accused of being a Baker-Bro by those who don’t know me, and that’s fine. But my god, this is the dumbest trade one could come up with if they wanted to land Metcalf. Mayfield, who needs an entire year to rehab his image as a player, is at best a fifth-round pick waiting to happen. I thought Mayfield played well in two of his first three seasons and his fourth season was one largely derailed by injuries.

I accept that he’s a fifth-round pick despite that, however.

To think you could land Metcalf, a Top-15 receiver at worst, for him and a second is laughable. That doesn’t mean the trade doesn’t make sense, Mayfield for Metcalf works in theory if you just look at positional need. You’re gonna have to give up Kareem Hunt, a future-first and a future-third on top of Mayfield just to get the conversation started.

The Cleveland Browns trade proposal is too good to be true for DK Metcalf

For ESPN’s part, they finished off this Fantasy GM exercise by saying the Seahawks would likely reject all the offers given to them. On the topic of the Browns’ offer specifically, ESPN went on to say;

"The Browns’ offer was also a nonstarter, even with Mayfield. Yes, the Seahawks are looking for Wilson’s long-term replacement and Mayfield has proven more than Drew Lock, who’s currently slated to be their starting quarterback. The team, however, is higher than you might think on Lock’s potential and wants to give him a one-year trial run to see if he is worthy of long-term consideration.The problem with the Cleveland trade scenario is that acquiring Mayfield via a trade would mean inheriting his guaranteed salary for 2022, which is nearly $19 million. That’s a reasonable price for a quarterback who has proved to at least be starting caliber — and whose struggles in 2021 could be partly attributed to a shoulder injury. Seattle probably wouldn’t want to acquire Mayfield at that price because it would effectively lock him in as its QB1 for this season, throwing its best chance of getting a true evaluation of Lock out the window. A second-round pick in next year’s draft isn’t nearly enough to offset the issue of Mayfield’s salary."

Mayfield’s salary has been cited as an issue and I think that’s fair for a number of reasons. One, he’s not someone seen as a guaranteed future-franchise guy. If you were in need of a guy and Mayfield was available and you had faith in him; $19 million is a bargain.

It’s clear that Mayfield’s stock isn’t that high, especially since the Seahawks perceived infatuation with Drew Locke. Now, you should never believe anything a GM or coach says. Ever. They’re always lying all the time. It’s a game. The Seahawks could be over the moon on Mayfield, but they may not like the Browns and may be trying to get an even better deal because they know Cleveland has no negotiation power.

Imagine being Seattle, and landing Mayfield, with the Browns sending a draft pick over, and eating money on the deal? Why would you just take Mayfield when you could get more? It’s like getting a freak steak dinner, telling the waitress you found a hair in your mashed potatoes, and then getting three free steak dinners, a gift card, a coupon, and the waitress’s number.

They found the hair and now they want the Browns to compensate correctly.

The trade proposal is great for the Browns, you get a young-guaranteed player, who can be that boundary threat, and you get out of $19 million in the process? The Browns make that deal every time. Yet, it’s too much of a gimmick and one that no one would sincerely think about.