Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield requests trade, but team denies request
By Jacob Lev and Issy Ronald, CNN
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has requested a trade from the team, according to NFL.com and ESPN.
“It’s in the mutual interest of both sides for us to move on,” Mayfield told ESPN on Thursday. “The relationship is too far gone to mend. It’s in the best interest of both sides to move on.”
The Browns, however, do not plan to honor Mayfield’s trade request, according to NFL.com.
Mayfield’s request came a day before the Browns agreed to trade for Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
On Tuesday, Mayfield posted a statement on social media, thanking the city of Cleveland and its fans.
“I have no clue what happens next, which is the meaning behind the silence I have had during the duration of this process,” Mayfield said in the post. “I can only control what I can, which is trusting in God’s plan throughout this process.
“I have given this franchise everything I have. That is something I’ve always done at every stage, and at every level. And that will not change wherever I take my next snap.”
CNN has reached out to Mayfield’s agent and the Browns for comment.
Mayfield was drafted by the Browns first overall in the 2018 NFL draft on a four-year contract worth $32.68 million in guaranteed salary.
Last season, he led the Browns to an 8-9 record, throwing for 3,010 yards with 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 14 games, despite playing with an injury in his non-throwing shoulder for much of the year.
The Browns ultimately failed to reach the postseason in 2021, while their divisional rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, reached the Super Bowl.
The-CNN-Wire
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