CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is taking some time to smell the $18.858 million in roses he received on Friday in the form of having his fifth-year option for 2022 picked up, and he’s not fretting about the contract extension he’s eligible for this offseason.
“That’s one of those things that’s not in my control, but I’m truly thankful and grateful for them taking a chance – (GM) Andrew (Berry) and the Haslam Family – for picking up that fifth-year option, making it one more year in Cleveland and extending this journey that we started three years ago today,’' Mayfield said on a video conference Monday. “Just saw something on that so I’ve been kind of thinking about that all day. I’m very happy about that.
“In terms of long-term deals or all of that, I’m taking it one day at a time. Still have two years, two seasons left on this full rookie contract now to see what happens.”
Mayfield, whose market value on a new deal is about $35 million a year according to Spotrac.com, acknowledged that he gets asked about the extension a lot. The reality is, the Browns can either extend him this offseason, or see how the season plays out and do it after the season.
A league source told cleveland.com on Friday that the Browns had not yet initiated extension talks.
Browns haven’t started extension talks with Mayfield yet
“It’s one of those things that I trust wholeheartedly in the Mills family, my agents, and for them to handle that behind that scenes,’' he said. “Right now, it’s about setting up the foundation for this upcoming season, continuing to build on what we left with last year and continuing to improve.”
The No. 1 overall pick in 2018, Mayfield won’t get caught up in whether or not his QB classmates Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson get their extensions this offseason. The Ravens have started talks with Jackson, and the Bills have said they want Allen long-term, but haven’t placed a timeframe on the new deal.
“No, I hope the best for them. Whatever happens, happens, but it really is out of my control at this point,” Mayfield said. “The fifth-year option just happened so a long-term deal is a little bit on the back burner for me. I am not worried about it. I want to go out and win games. I think everything happens for a reason so we will see what happens.”
He’s not worried about the distraction of contract talk as he heads into his fourth season, and sounds ready to bet on himself this year if it comes to that.
“If we win games, everything will happen how it should,’' he said. “That’s my mentality, and I truly do believe that.”
The Browns could decide to go ahead and wrap Mayfield up this offseason, or they could take their time and see if he can build on his excellent 2020 season. Of the last four quarterbacks who signed their extensions as soon as they were able, only one is in good standing with his original club. Jared Goff and Carson Wentz have been traded by the Rams and Eagles, respectively, and Deshaun Watson wanted out of Houston before getting accused of inappropriate conduct with multiple massage therapists.
But the Browns have been thrilled with Mayfield’s progress and are looking for even more in 2021 in his second year in Kevin Stefanski’s system. It’s why they didn’t hesitate to pick up the option, which was immediately guaranteed.
“It’s been obviously exciting the past week or so or seven days,’' Mayfield said. “Obviously Denzel (Ward) being picked right after me and getting his fifth-year option picked up, as well. That foundation and that work we had to put in. Obviously, had a lot of help along the way. It has been a rollercoaster of the past three years. I think that time that everybody in that building, a lot of new faces, but I think the time we put in for not just things on the field but culture-wise and setting a standard is finally coming into fruition to where you can start to see it and the bigger picture play out.
“That is why I am excited about the guys who we have coming back. This is the first time ever in my career that you have 11 guys who at one point started on this offense all coming back. I think that is truly pretty special. When it comes into terms of looking back three years ago to this day, a life-changing moment for me, my family, friends and being surrounded by a lot of teammates and lifelong friends now, I think it has been a good journey, but it is nowhere close to being done. I think that is the best part.”
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