The Cleveland Browns fully expected Baker Mayfield to be their long-term franchise quarterback when they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. While his tenure with the team started off well, it didn't end the same way.
After four years with the team, the Browns decided to part ways with Mayfield. They opted to trade him to the Carolina Panthers, which has not worked out well for them.
While it took Mayfield a couple of years to find his footing, he has landed well with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has become the franchise quarterback for the NFC franchise and has led them to back-to-back playoff appearances while putting up big-time production.
Mayfield brings up a lot of "what if" questions for Cleveland. What if the Browns had maintained their belief in him rather than shipping him out of town?
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It's quite possible that Cleveland would have turned into a contender and had stability under center. Unfortunately, fans will never know.
That being said, the Browns are being urged to make a major move regarding Mayfield.
Xavier Crockett of Honor the Land has suggested that the team should consider adding Mayfield to their Ring of Honor. Nick Chubb is the latest name to be announced for that major honor.
"I think there is a real conversation that Baker Mayfield should be in that Ring of Honor because Baker Mayfield played a huge, huge role in where we are today," Crockett said.
During his four years with Cleveland, Mayfield completed 61.6 percent of his pass attempts for 14,125 yards, 92 touchdowns, and 56 interceptions. In his two years with the Buccaneers, he has thrown for 8,544 yards, 69 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions.
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At 30 years old, he still has a lot of good football left in him. He has a very bright future ahead of him with Tampa Bay.
Even though he's no longer with the Browns, only played for four seasons with the team, and didn't end on great terms with the franchise, Mayfield would be deserving of the honor being suggested. He played a pivotal part in recent Cleveland history.
With Chubb now being selected for the Ring of Honor, it will be interesting to see if the team chooses to honor Mayfield or not.
For more Cleveland Browns and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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This story was originally published June 16, 2025 at 5:53 PM.
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