Where does Baker Mayfield get traded to and how much does he go for? !Poll!

[Broncofan]

[candyman93]

 

[candyman93]

Just want an outsiders view, what’s the highest draft comp you’d give for Baker if you’re only paying 10 mil for him?

[Forge]

4 hours ago, candyman93 said:

Just want an outsiders view, what’s the highest draft comp you’d give for Baker if you’re only paying 10 mil for him?

5th or 6th maybe? 

[Tugboat]

On 3/23/2022 at 6:22 AM, Broncofan said:

More importantly, if Baker isn't going to be a long-term solution, it's a wasted year of mediocrity as well.    Rightly or wrongly, teams are seeing that Baker's not going to be an elite QB.    I think that's a very accurate assessment - his only successful stretch came in 2H 2020 came with one of the easiest draws ever (7 of 8 bottom 10 pass D's), with a top 5 OL and a top run game.    We've seen pretty clearly the lack of chemistry with OBJ isn't due to OBJ regressing.    

Realizing he played hurt, Baker's flaws pre-injury had his ceiling capped way below elite-ceiling.    Now of course, ppl are concerned he might be "just" a game manager.   Thing is, when those guys are cheap, you can still win with them....at least until January.   A lot of teams make it to the playoffs with average / non-elite QB play.   

Nowadays, though, teams that repeatedly go deep in playoffs seldom do so without great QB play (talking top 7-10 play depending on the year, the level at which QB's can carry O's on their own with comeback wins, or can make heroic game-winning talent plays like the ones we saw Stafford make this January).     SF is one of those rare teams that has been to the CG/SB on more than 1 occasion, but it's been despite JimmyG's limitations (and I'd argue that his limitations are what cost SF both times).   

You can definitely succeed in the regular season this way with an average QB, but IMO it's a mirage for sustained championship contention.   Baker doesn't sniff that top 7-10 level IMO (it's not the number, it's the tier of talent, why the number varies).    Which again is fine if you're cheap, then teams can try to thread the needle with an otherwise great roster (the DEN 2015 model....but it's telling that's the last time it worked completely, and with a ton of razor-thin close calls along the way).    Now that Baker's no longer at the rookie contract levels, though - yeah...I get the complete lack of enthusiasm from rebuilders.

 

I think this is a big part of the issue with Baker for teams potentially looking at him.  Especially at this point in the offseason, where most teams have already sort of put options in place and decided if they're coming or going.

Baker might be good enough as an upgrade over some bad QBs to win you an extra game or two...but that's generally not going to be enough to keep you out of the firing line.  Especially when optically, it gives you less of the "QB Bad Nothing I could do!" excuse.  Not if you go out and get the guy.  Optically at least, it doesn't help those sort of bottom-feeder teams (and specifically their staff).  

 

That said though...Teams intentionally put themselves in a QB Purgatory all the time.  Especially when other plans end up scuttled early in preseason, or late in a season where a push is being made.

 

On 3/23/2022 at 7:09 AM, massraider said:

I'm pushing back against the concept that people think here are like 4 or 5 teams in the NFL that are planning on tanking, and the draft hasn't even happened yet. Baker, I think, is better than the QB in PIT, ATL, CAR, SEA right now. I don't think any of those teams is looking to punt on the season right now. 

I don't really care how good or bad you think Baker is. 

I don't know that they're going in specifically looking to "punt" on the season.  But they've also all sort of made their optically super low risk "play" at trotting someone incompetent out there at QB at this point. 

 

It's also a problem that the team with arguably the most to potentially "gain" from acquiring Baker...happen to be a division rival.  That adds a difficult to overcome layer of optical folly to the whole thing (especially if it doesn't go surprisingly well).  It also means that the Browns aren't going to be in any kind of hurry to do anything to facilitate that move by eating salary or making it more palatable somehow.  They're not in the business of helping a division rival like that.  It might be that Baker only helps the Steelers win a game or two over what they have.  But those games could very well come...against the Browns.  And those could be precious wins that the Browns desperately need to make it look like they made the right football decision at least, on Watson.

 

I think a lot of teams/front offices are risk averse enough, that they'd genuinely choose a punted season, over a trade that could potentially blow back on them.  And in this case, i think that hesitance is probably there on both sides of the equation.  Other teams don't want to pull the trigger on that and risk egg on their face when it doesn't materially improve their situation.  But the Browns themselves, are also in an optically precarious spot.  They really need this Watson thing to pan out on the field, if they have any hope of selling the whole thing to anyone.  Last thing they need, is the risk (however slight), of Mayfield going somewhere and having a better season that Watson coming in rusty off a missed year.

[candyman93]

12 hours ago, Forge said:

5th or 6th maybe? 

I’m not a Baker fan, but at that point I guarantee we will get a higher comp pick just letting him walk.

 

There’s no way Wentz value is that much higher.

Edited April 1, 2022 by candyman93

[ET80]

3 minutes ago, candyman93 said:

13 hours ago, Forge said:

5th or 6th maybe? 

I’m not a Baker fan, but at that point I guarantee we will get a higher comp pick just letting him walk.

 

There’s no way Wentz value is that much higher.

I’d probably add conditional picks into it based on playing time and/or accolades if I really wanted him.

Baker himself has questions, we all know that. What makes this complicated for Cleveland is that everyone knows he’s pretty much guaranteed to not be in Cleveland’s plans. He’s not a marquee guy, so waiting it out and taking your chance in FA is a legitimate option for anyone interested in him.

I agree with you on the Wentz piece, but that Wentz trade was before all this bedlam in Cleveland. Once Deshaun Watson got cleared, the QB market shook like an earthquake - had that Wentz trade not took place, Washington might have paid just as much (if not a bit more) to secure Mayfield, and we would probably be having this talk about Wentz value.

Timing is everything, I guess. If I’m Washington, I MIGHT float a 4th and conditional 2023 pick for Mayfield and put the two into a QB comp…

[candyman93]

2 minutes ago, ET80 said:

I’d probably add conditional picks into it based on playing time and/or accolades if I really wanted him.

Baker himself has questions, we all know that. What makes this complicated for Cleveland is that everyone knows he’s pretty much guaranteed to not be in Cleveland’s plans. He’s not a marquee guy, so waiting it out and taking your chance in FA is a legitimate option for anyone interested in him.

I agree with you on the Wentz piece, but that Wentz trade was before all this bedlam in Cleveland. Once Deshaun Watson got cleared, the QB market shook like an earthquake - had that Wentz trade not took place, Washington might have paid just as much (if not a bit more) to secure Mayfield, and we would probably be having this talk about Wentz value.

Timing is everything, I guess. If I’m Washington, I MIGHT float a 4th and conditional 2023 pick for Mayfield and put the two into a QB comp…

You’re right.

 

In my opinion, I think it all comes down to how much more they want to spend in free agency.

 

I’m leaning towards us not resigning Clowney. I think we want Will Fuller and possibly Jarvis Landry back.

[ET80]

2 minutes ago, candyman93 said:

You’re right.

 

In my opinion, I think it all comes down to how much more they want to spend in free agency.

 

I’m leaning towards us not resigning Clowney. I think we want Will Fuller and possibly Jarvis Landry back.

Fuller is basically a requirement if you want the best possible Deshaun Watson. The splits with and without Fuller on the field are night and day. I’d argue there was a period in 2019 when Fuller was the best WR on the team (better than Hopkins, no joke).

[candyman93]

3 minutes ago, ET80 said:

Fuller is basically a requirement if you want the best possible Deshaun Watson. The splits with and without Fuller on the field are night and day. I’d argue there was a period in 2019 when Fuller was the best WR on the team (better than Hopkins, no joke).

I believe that. I’m assuming it’s amazing chemistry and their styles complimenting each other.

[Forge]

23 minutes ago, candyman93 said:

I’m not a Baker fan, but at that point I guarantee we will get a higher comp pick just letting him walk.

 

There’s no way Wentz value is that much higher.

Value isn't always tied to the quality of player. Wentz was the first domino that fell in a year with maybe unprecedented QB movement. Baker has a market that right now appears extremely limited given the lateness at which this occurred, especially if you want to believe that Carolina doesn't want him. Jimmy G is also still out there so it's a buyer's market. 

You may get a higher comp pick. He'll be a 28 year old free agent coming off a year of mostly not playing (and this is a year after having a terrible season; yes, in part due to injuries). What's your expected contract? Because it's not unreasonable that he gets a slightly better bridge QB deal than Trubisky (who humorously had the same exact injury in Chicago), and the thing is, those are kind of easy to cancel out. That's the part people often forget. Buffalo, for example, will not be expected to land a comp pick for Trubisky. So in order to get that comp pick, you also have to tie your hands and not spend on players during free agency. 

[ET80]

17 minutes ago, candyman93 said:

I believe that. I’m assuming it’s amazing chemistry and their styles complimenting each other.

For some reason, Fuller can run a fully developed route tree when Watson is at QB - drops are not an issue either, his hands are pure and secure on all types of passes. Without Watson? Fuller is basically useless outside of deep posts and go routes, and will drop about 30% of passes thrown his way.

It was fascinating (and exciting) to watch, that’s for sure. Part of me thinks Fuller spent last season in Miami because he figured Watson would join him eventually.

[brownie man]

1 hour ago, ET80 said:

Part of me thinks Fuller spent last season in Miami because he figured Watson would join him eventually.

 

yo didn’t even think of that. I think Browns will sign Fuller too after the draft. I think they’ll wait just in case a player falls to them they wouldn’t expect. Like a Jameson Williams or Calvin Austin falls farther than he should for example. 

[ET80]

33 minutes ago, brownie man said:

 

yo didn’t even think of that. I think Browns will sign Fuller too after the draft. I think they’ll wait just in case a player falls to them they wouldn’t expect. Like a Jameson Williams or Calvin Austin falls farther than he should for example. 

Here…

He’s a different QB when Fuller is there.

[adamq]

On 3/31/2022 at 5:27 PM, candyman93 said:

Just want an outsiders view, what’s the highest draft comp you’d give for Baker if you’re only paying 10 mil for him?

If I'm Houston or Carolina, definitely a 2nd round pick. Probably add in a couple late round picks if I had to.

 

I feel like Baker is getting slaughtered for playing injured last year.. he obviously shouldn't have been out there as the injuries piled up, of course he looked terrible