Name: Baker Mayfield

Age: 28

Sport: Football

Position: Quarterback

NFL team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

College: University of Oklahoma

Drafted: Round 1 (Pick 1) 2018

Drafted by: Cleveland Browns

40-yard dash time: 4.84 seconds

Other teams: Browns (2018-21) Panthers (2022) Rams (2022) Buccaneers (2023)

After the Cleveland Browns’ winless season in 2017, it was obvious that the first-round pick was going to be given to them. The 2018 NFL Draft was one of the most talented of all time, with 15 Pro-Bowlers in the first round, 28 in total. Since the Browns had the first pick, they selected the (projected) best quarterback in the draft, Baker Mayfield. 

Mayfield had a couple of average seasons with the Browns throwing 66 interceptions to just 96 touchdowns. Due to his underwhelming seasons, in March 2022, the Browns pulled off a blockbuster trade, sending six draft picks to the Houston Texans for star quarterback Deshaun Watson and a 2024 draft pick. Three of the six draft picks the Browns gave up turned into superstar players and making the trade even worse for the Browns, Watson missed 22 out of his 34 games due to injuries and suspensions. 

Mayfield was angry with this trade because after spending four years in Cleveland, they went behind his back and traded for a new quarterback. The Browns wanted Mayfield, who was the same age as Watson, to act as a backup quarterback while Watson served the rest of his 13-game suspension. Baker Mayfield did not like that idea and he requested a trade; four months later, the Browns had lost their backup quarterback.

Mayfield’s run on the Panthers was short; he was on the team until mid-December, and after a couple of bad games with the Panthers Mayfield learned he would be the third-string quarterback the next game. Six months later, Mayfield demanded a release. After the Rams lost their starting quarterback Matthew Stafford to injury in November, Los Angeles had no choice but to claim Baker Mayfield out of free agency. Later that week, he was named the starting quarterback and threw the game-winning touchdown for the Rams. When Stafford later returned, Mayfield was let go. 

On March 16th, following Tom Bradys’ retirement and almost a year after Mayfield was traded to the Panthers, the Buccaneers signed him to a one-year contract. Mayfield threw for 4000+ yards this season and led the Buccaneers to the playoffs and a win against the Eagles. Baker Mayfield shows extreme dedication, pursues opportunities, and never gives up. He already has more playoff wins than the Browns do. And Baker has finally found his team.