@tiamat63 said:

Bless that man's heart, he'll make a hell of a coach one day.

That's what they said about Bernie but keep dreaming my friend.

WSS 

@tiamat63 said:

Bless that man's heart, he'll make a hell of a coach one day.

I said in a previous thread, but I actually met Brian Hoyer at Disney World just by happenstance of running into him. Could not have been a nicer guy, really gracious. I said I didn't want to bother him in front of his kids and just wanted to say hello, he said "no please do, I want my kids to think I'm cool".

@westside-steve said:

If it helps Hoyer is available now.

WSS

Bless that man's heart, he'll make a hell of a coach one day.

@tiamat63 said:

Once this team was 2 plays away from going 8-8 and a wildcard with Brian Hoyer and a 3rd string center. 

So.....  yeah.   Hang onto that mentality. 

If it helps Hoyer is available now.

WSS

@lodilobo said:

For all you Baker haters...screw you!...lets see how close you get to the playoffs without him.

Once this team was 2 plays away from going 8-8 and a wildcard with Brian Hoyer and a 3rd string center. 

So.....  yeah.   Hang onto that mentality. 

@laiccm said:

Business is business.....it's never personal...lol "Late great Nino Brown"

That's a great saying, but it means that business is done by people who never, ever, ever let any "personal" issues into it.   And that is often wrong....

@dutch-oven said:

Some of us had serious questions quite a while ago when the Browns, even after the Browns went to the playoffs in 2020, didn't make a contract extension offer to Baker. 

I'm starting to think that if Mayfield didn't have that second half hot stretch in '20 the QB search would have started last offseason. 

This, this, and this.

It was always plausible that Baker was on the chopping block. He is not Stefanski's guy. Yes, Berry was in the room when drafted, but I'm not sure how much say he had in the decision since it wasn't his ultimate call. Then 2020 came, we made the playoffs. Baker had a stellar 2nd half. No contract extension. That was the biggest red flag. IMO, that is probably what started the riff between Baker and the FO (as MKC has reported various times). As fans, we should have seen the writing on the wall that Baker was not this FO's man... anymore. 

Let's not be surprised by this. Eric Metcalf tweeted yesterday that a FO, if they are not looking to upgrade every position, all the time, they are not doing their job. He also stated that the Browns always tried to replace him, yet he always gave them a reason not too. He competed and won his spot. 

And now Baker must do the same. He's also facing a contract year. So if he remains with the Browns, he is going to have to force this FO or another team to want him. If he plays like shit again, especially without injury, this FO was making the right call. 

@unsympathetic said:

Every player in the NFL on every roster is always available for a trade.. this seems like a Welcome To Being A Professional, Kid moment.. 

Baker's emotions really are out of place in this situation.

But not surprising coming from him.......

Baker's emotions really are out of place in this situation.

@dutch-oven said:

I'm kind of confused by something regarding this situation.

1. Baker was informed, through his agents, that he was the starting QB for the Browns in 2023, unless a top-level QB became available. If this happened, the Browns would attempt to get said QB.

2. A top-level QB became available, when Watson's criminal case was dropped.

3. The Browns then attempted to get said top-level QB, like they told Baker they would. 

4. Baker, knowing this situation was a possibility, then writes a good-bye letter to Browns fans, before anything that would make him an ex-Browns player actually came to pass.

5. Watson decided against coming to Cleveland to become the Browns starting QB, thus maintaining Baker Mayfield in his position as the Browns starting QB.

6. Baker, though told that #1 was a possibility, demands a trade, even though he's the Browns starting QB. 

I think Watson is a shit human being, and am appalled the Browns could be so tone deaf to try and give up the farm for such a polarizing potential "face of the franchise". That said, unless something in my time line is factually wrong, I don't quite understand how "the Browns did Baker so dirty". Seems to me, if the time line I laid out is correct, they were upfront with Baker, and that Baker the starting QB of the Cleveland Browns is trying to force his way off the team. 

@dutch-oven said:

I'm kind of confused by something regarding this situation.

1. Baker was informed, through his agents, that he was the starting QB for the Browns in 2023, unless a top-level QB became available. If this happened, the Browns would attempt to get said QB.

2. A top-level QB became available, when Watson's criminal case was dropped.

3. The Browns then attempted to get said top-level QB, like they told Baker they would. 

4. Baker, knowing this situation was a possibility, then writes a good-bye letter to Browns fans, before anything that would make him an ex-Browns player actually came to pass.

5. Watson decided against coming to Cleveland to become the Browns starting QB, thus maintaining Baker Mayfield in his position as the Browns starting QB.

6. Baker, though told that #1 was a possibility, demands a trade, even though he's the Browns starting QB. 

I think Watson is a shit human being, and am appalled the Browns could be so tone deaf to try and give up the farm for such a polarizing potential "face of the franchise". That said, unless something in my time line is factually wrong, I don't quite understand how "the Browns did Baker so dirty". Seems to me, if the time line I laid out is correct, they were upfront with Baker, and that Baker the starting QB of the Cleveland Browns is trying to force his way off the team. 

1. I’m not sure Baker was informed of the Browns interests in Watson or not. Seems like a critical point in this entire thing.

2. The idea of Watson being “elite” and worth the PR nightmare is subjective.

3. The Browns willing to give up multiple first round picks on someone they could of had with one first round pick is an admission of failure.

4. Baker probably saw the writing on the wall and took the initiative to thank the fans that supported him.

5. There were media outlets that stated Watson never had any thoughts of coming to Cleveland.

6. To sum things up, the Browns FO (most likely Haslam) decided to shop Baker and roll the dice and came up snake eyes. Baker is now shopping the Browns, which goes to show loyalty isn’t a one way street. Really can’t blame either party for trying to better their situation.

@dutch-oven said:

I'm kind of confused by something regarding this situation.

1. Baker was informed, through his agents, that he was the starting QB for the Browns in 2023, unless a top-level QB became available. If this happened, the Browns would attempt to get said QB.

2. A top-level QB became available, when Watson's criminal case was dropped.

3. The Browns then attempted to get said top-level QB, like they told Baker they would. 

4. Baker, knowing this situation was a possibility, then writes a good-bye letter to Browns fans, before anything that would make him an ex-Browns player actually came to pass.

5. Watson decided against coming to Cleveland to become the Browns starting QB, thus maintaining Baker Mayfield in his position as the Browns starting QB.

6. Baker, though told that #1 was a possibility, demands a trade, even though he's the Browns starting QB. 

I think Watson is a shit human being, and am appalled the Browns could be so tone deaf to try and give up the farm for such a polarizing potential "face of the franchise". That said, unless something in my time line is factually wrong, I don't quite understand how "the Browns did Baker so dirty". Seems to me, if the time line I laid out is correct, they were upfront with Baker, and that Baker the starting QB of the Cleveland Browns is trying to force his way off the team. 

I may disagree with going after Watson with you but I think Youre 100% correct on everything. Baker is acting like the spoiled kid....again. Think, he can't even pass a physical right now and nowhere he gets traded to will he have the level of weapons, running game and oline in his 5th year. He will join Jamarcus Russell as a no.1 pick who didn't make it to the 5th year with the team he was selected by. The Browns have stood by him during all types of antics.....they kick the tires on Watson, he knows and pens a letter then request a trade. He may calm down tho.....that's what kids do

1. Baker was informed, through his agents, that he was the starting QB for the Browns in 2023, unless a top-level QB became available. If this happened, the Browns would attempt to get said QB.

2. A top-level QB became available, when Watson's criminal case was dropped.

3. The Browns then attempted to get said top-level QB, like they told Baker they would. 

4. Baker, knowing this situation was a possibility, then writes a good-bye letter to Browns fans, before anything that would make him an ex-Browns player actually came to pass.

5. Watson decided against coming to Cleveland to become the Browns starting QB, thus maintaining Baker Mayfield in his position as the Browns starting QB.

6. Baker, though told that #1 was a possibility, demands a trade, even though he's the Browns starting QB. 

I think Watson is a shit human being, and am appalled the Browns could be so tone deaf to try and give up the farm for such a polarizing potential "face of the franchise". That said, unless something in my time line is factually wrong, I don't quite understand how "the Browns did Baker so dirty". Seems to me, if the time line I laid out is correct, they were upfront with Baker, and that Baker the starting QB of the Cleveland Browns is trying to force his way off the team. 

@riffer-x said:

If you screw over your starting QB and then go begging for him to come back, you might be a redneck.

Business is business.....it's never personal...lol "Late great Nino Brown"

@sdbacker80 said:

Let him pout 

Pay him his $18 million and let him walk without getting anything in return?

That would be pretty stupid.

@dutch-oven said:

Stefanski hated Bakers guts? ?

he does call the plays.. and will continue

here's your prize 

@canton-dawg said:

Actually he doesn’t have to pass a physical, I just read on Cleveland.com that his 2022 contract is guaranteed.

Which means, he can sit his ass and collect his $18 million.

Hell he has more leverage than I thought.

Let him pout 

@laiccm said:

Mayfield demanding a trade but can't even pass a physical......ugh

Actually he doesn’t have to pass a physical, I just read on Cleveland.com that his 2022 contract is guaranteed.

Which means, he can sit his ass and collect his $18 million.

Hell he has more leverage than I thought.

@dutch-oven said:

For a stopgap, I'd take Garoppolo or Winston. 

Hell, Winston went 5-2 for the Saints last year, with 14 touchdowns against 3 interceptions. 

Baker may not have been the best..but Haslem did em dirty.

@gumby73 said:

I'd prefer we started with the adult of Matt Ryan ? 

topic--- do ya know why James Hudson never got help with TJ Watt? ?

Stefanski hated Bakers guts? ?