Baker Mayfield

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that disgruntled Browns QB Baker Mayfield will not be at the team's voluntary OTAs that begin on Tuesday.

Fantasy Impact

Mayfield’s absence from OTAs isn’t surprising news considering that Mayfield had requested a trade from the team and the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson earlier this offseason. The trade market for Mayfield has been underwhelming. Mayfield is due to just shy of $19 million guaranteed in 2022 and he has a history of off the field incidents or comments that seems to have caused teams to question his maturity. Mayfield has had success on the NFL field, and many experts thought the Browns would extend Mayfield before the 2021 season. However, last season Mayfield played poorly while dealing with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder and has appeared to have overstayed his welcome in Cleveland. Recent reports have indicated that the Browns are willing to take on a good chunk of Mayfield’s 2022 salary. The Carolina Panthers have also been reported to be closely monitoring the situation even though they drafted rookie QB Matt Corral in last month's NFL Draft.

Browns QB Baker Mayfield could possibly be traded to the Carolina Panthers as soon as Friday or the weekend.

Fantasy Impact

There have been rumors circulating this offseason that the Panthers want to trade for Mayfield, and those rumors have been amplified since the Panthers didn't use their top pick in the draft on a quarterback. It's possible that he is traded in the very near future, and that would have a pretty notable impact on guys like DJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey.

NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reports that the Carolina Panthers are not expected to trade for QB Baker Mayfield until after the 1st round of the NFL draft, if they do so at all.

Fantasy Impact

If this report is not a smoke-screen, which is common this time of year, then it seems very likely that Carolina would prefer one of the top rookie quarterbacks from the 2022 draft class over Mayfield. Carolina holds the 6th pick in the 2022 NFL draft and they have long been projected as a team that is likely to target a quarterback. The most common rookies that have been linked to the Panthers are Liberty’s Malik Willis and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, but Carolina has brought all of the top ranked QB’s in for visits in the last month. If Carolina walks out of the 1st round of the draft without a QB on Thursday night, then it appears that they may consider targeting Mayfield in a trade as a last resort.

Baker Mayfield is expected to miss the start of the Cleveland Browns voluntary offseason workout program.

Fantasy Impact

Deshaun Watson is attending the start of the workout program. It should come as no surprise that Mayfield isn't attending as he continues to seek a trade in hopes of starting for a different team with Watson now in Cleveland.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport stated on the Pat McAfee Show on Friday that the Carolina Panthers appear to be the most likely trade destination for QB Baker Mayfield.

Fantasy Impact

Mayfield has had a tumultuous off-season that will all but certainly end with his departure from Cleveland after the Brown’s acquired Deshaun Watson last month. Despite his drama-filled off-season, sharp fantasy managers will likely look at now as a great buy-low opportunity for Mayfield in dynasty and superflex leagues, as his fantasy value has reached an all time low. Mayfield had a brutal 2021 season, but he played through most of the year with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder and has played in one of the most run heavy offenses in the league for his entire career. Prior to the 2021 season, Mayfield had finished as a QB2 in every other season of his career, which is a starting caliber player in Superflex leagues. Carolina would be an intriguing landing spot for Mayfield if he were to be traded there, as they have instant offense in Christian McCaffrey (when healthy) and a budding superstar receiver in D.J. Moore, plus they run a more QB friendly system for fantasy purposes than what Cleveland runs. If the Mayfield owner in your league is itching to trade away the controversial gunslinger at a cheap price, then now might be the time to submit a trade request.