Cleveland Browns out of working to commerce for Deshaun Watson, now face determination on Baker Mayfield, supply says

BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns have been knowledgeable Thursday that they’re not within the working to land Deshaun Watson in a commerce with the Houston Texans, a group supply informed ESPN.

Browns officers met with Watson on Tuesday in Houston and tried to steer the quarterback to waive his no-trade clause to play for them. However Watson as a substitute eradicated the Browns from rivalry, leaving the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons because the remaining identified contenders for Watson.

Watson didn’t play final season following an offseason request to be traded and the emergence of 22 lawsuits towards him alleging sexual assault and inappropriate conduct throughout therapeutic massage classes. However a Texas grand jury declined to indict Watson on felony fees final Friday, signaling the tip of felony proceedings associated to him in Harris County and kick-starting commerce talks between the Texans and groups.

The Saints made a number of strikes earlier Thursday to soak up Watson’s $35 million wage in a possible commerce, a supply informed ESPN’s Area Yates, restructuring the contracts of quarterback Taysom Hill, defensive backs Bradley Roby and Malcolm Jenkins and linebacker Demario Davis to go away the group with $29.9 million in cap area.

Watson’s determination places the Browns in an advanced predicament with incumbent quarterback Baker Mayfield. As Cleveland officers have been flying again from the Watson assembly Tuesday evening, Mayfield posted a statement on social media thanking the town of Cleveland and its followers “who really embraced who I’m.”

“With many uncertainties, right here is the place my head and coronary heart is,” Mayfield wrote as an introduction to his message, which he addressed to Cleveland and posted to Instagram and Twitter.

The Browns will now must resolve whether or not they’ll try and reconcile with Mayfield, or commerce the 2018 No. 1 general draft decide and attempt to purchase one other quarterback. A group supply mentioned the Browns’ choice can be to nonetheless transfer ahead with Mayfield.

A supply informed ESPN that Mayfield and his camp discovered about Cleveland’s assembly with Watson over social media. Browns basic supervisor Andrew Berry, nonetheless, had privately knowledgeable Mayfield’s camp earlier within the offseason that the group may pursue a top-flight quarterback if one turned obtainable, in accordance with a number of sources.

Each Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski had repeatedly declared this offseason that Mayfield would stay Cleveland’s beginning quarterback, up by final month’s scouting mix.

Earlier than assembly with the Browns on Tuesday, Watson answered questions on two of the 22 lawsuits filed towards him throughout ongoing depositions, the plaintiffs’ legal professional, Tony Buzbee, informed KHOU 11. Watson had invoked his Fifth Modification proper towards self-incrimination when sitting for 2 classes of depositions that started Friday.

Mayfield has endured a tumultuous tenure in Cleveland, the place he performed underneath 4 head coaches by his first three seasons within the league. However the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner led Cleveland to its first playoff victory in 26 years in the course of the 2020 season and completed within the prime 10 within the league in QBR.

Mayfield suffered a torn labrum in his nonthrowing shoulder in Week 2 of this previous season and struggled the remainder of the best way, ending 27th in QBR because the Browns missed the playoffs and completed with a disappointing 8-9 document.

Mayfield, who underwent surgical procedure to restore the labrum Jan. 19 and is anticipated to be absolutely cleared effectively earlier than coaching camp, is getting into the ultimate yr of his rookie deal, which can pay him $19 million in 2022.