Baker Mayfield compounds Cleveland Browns’ misery over $230 million mistake

Forget Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson – Baker Mayfield is the hottest quarterback in the NFL right now.

Mayfield is a major reason why the underrated Tampa Bay Buccaneers are off to a scorching undefeated start.

Through the first two games of the season, the Bucs field general is tied for first in the NFL in touchdown passes (5), tenth in passing yards (474), and sixth in quarterback rating (69.6).

The 29-year-old went 24-of-30 for 289 yards and four touchdowns in Week 1 as Tampa Bay defeated the rebuilding Washington Commanders, 37-20.

In Week 2, the Bucs picked up a huge road victory against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs a season ago in the Detroit Lions — a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.

Baker was an efficient 12-for-19 with 185 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception against Dan Campbell’s gritty defense.

Mayfield also led the team with 34 rushing yards as the visitors picked up a hard fought 20-16 victory deep in enemy territory.

The former Heisman winner been a revelation since joining the franchise in 2023.

He’s thrown 33 touchdowns since putting on a Bucs jersey, the third most in the NFL during that time — not bad for a player who was once deemed surplus to requirements by the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns selected Mayfield with the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Four years later, he was considered a bust after one playoff appearance.

Mayfield became collateral damage and asked for a trade in 2022 when the Browns put all their eggs in the Deshaun Watson basket and paid the troubled former Houston Texans signal caller $230 million to be their franchise star.

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Cleveland found themselves in a bidding war for Watson and gave up first-round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024, in addition to a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick.

Mayfield subsequently spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams before joining Todd Bowles’ team in 2023 and reigniting his career.

He made the Pro Bowl last year and has started the 2024 campaign as one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

Meanwhile, Watson continues to look like one of the costliest mistakes in modern NFL history.

The Browns handed out a fully guaranteed, five-year contract to a QB who accounts for a massive $145 million salary cap hit in 2025-26 and is continually plagued by on and off-field issues.

The three-time Pro Bowler was accused of sexual misconduct and harassment by more than 20 women before even being traded to Cleveland. He has always denied any wrongdoing, and 20 claims of sexual misconduct have been settled out of court.

He was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season and fined $5 million by the NFL.

Earlier this month, a civil lawsuit was filed, accusing Watson of sexual assault and battery in October 2020, while playing for the Houston Texans — allegations which he strongly denies.

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Watson missed half of last season due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. He’s only played in 14 games the last three-plus seasons for the Browns and is 9-5 during that time.

The former Clemson Tiger struggled in a Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys that sparked discussions about whether he should lose his QB1 status to Jameis Winston.

He went 24-for-45 for 169 yards, a touchdown and a couple of interceptions in a 33-17 home defeat.

The 29-year-old was marginally better a week later in a 18-13 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Watson was 22-of-34 passing for 186 yards and no touchdowns with no interceptions against the Jags, but did run in for a TD.

In 2022, the Browns thought Watson was better than Mayfield and gambled their short-to-medium future on it.

In 2024, Mayfield’s stellar performances have proved how wrong they were and how bad the Watson trade was.

Baker’s the real winner of the Browns’ fateful $230 million risk and deservedly reaping the rewards for a team on the up.

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