Baker Mayfield Odds: One Team Emerges As Heavy Favorite For Browns QB
Cleveland last week acquired Deshaun Watson
Might Baker Mayfield replace Russell Wilson after being replaced by Deshaun Watson?
It’s been a crazy game of musical chairs across the NFL this offseason, with several superstar players — including multiple franchise quarterbacks — changing teams and potentially changing the complexion of the league ahead of the 2022 campaign.
The Browns last week acquired Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans for a bundle of draft picks, all but spelling the end of Mayfield’s time in Cleveland. Which, judging by Mayfield’s trade request, probably would be OK in his book.
So, where will the 2018 No. 1 overall pick land?
There aren’t many options left, but one team has emerged as the betting favorite: the Seattle Seahawks.
Bovada has the Seahawks at -150 in the futures market for where Mayfield will play Game 1 of the 2022 NFL season. That’s shorter odds than the organization that currently employs Mayfield, as a return to Cleveland is listed at +350.
Sandwiched between those two teams: the Detroit Lions at +325.
Here’s the complete list of odds released by Bovada, as of Friday night:
Seattle Seahawks -150
Detroit Lions +325
Cleveland Browns +350
Carolina Panthers +600
Pittsburgh Steelers +600
Houston Texans +1600
Noticeably absent are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who seem like a long shot on the surface but have been kicked around in internet speculation over the past few days. Bucs general manager Jason Licht on Wednesday did little to dump cold water on the idea of Mayfield backing up Tom Brady in 2022.
Seattle certainly makes sense after trading Wilson to the Denver Broncos. The Seahawks acquired quarterback Drew Lock as part of the blockbuster, but he’s by no means a lock — pardon the pun — to be Seattle’s Week 1 starter. A locker room featuring Mayfield and Pete Carroll has our attention.
Detroit, meanwhile, is an interesting fit after going 3-13-1 in 2021. The rebuilding Lions played hard under Dan Campbell in his first season as the franchise’s head coach, and Mayfield, despite a rollercoaster career in Cleveland, would represent an upgrade over incumbent starter Jared Goff.
