National Football League

Patience or pay up? Baker Mayfield's extension eligibility with Browns spurs discussion

Updated Jun. 25, 2021 10:07 a.m. ET

The near future of the Cleveland Browns could be determined this summer.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield is in line for a contract extension, if he and the Browns can strike a deal.

One of his agents, Jack Mills, said he thinks an extension will be inked this summer.

"I think something will be done this summer," Mills said, via TheLandOnDemand.com. "As far as trying to get a deal done, I don’t know if it’ll get done. It’s something that would be pretty much in the team’s control."

Mayfield is coming off of his best season as a pro.

He went 11-5 in 2020, guiding the Browns to their first playoff appearance since 2002 and first playoff win since 1994, which is before the 26-year-old Mayfield was even born.

Mayfield also had a fantastic season statistically. He completed 62.8% of his passes for 3,563 yards, throwing 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

That last number was a particular improvement, as he had thrown 21 picks in 2019 and 14 in his rookie season.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Mayfield is currently on the books until the end of the 2022 season after the Browns picked up his fifth-year option earlier this year.

That option guarantees him $18.9 million in 2022, after earning just north of $10.5 million for the upcoming season.

If the Browns were so inclined, they could lock up Mayfield this summer to a long-term deal and potentially avoid a protracted contract dispute (see: the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott) in the coming years.

But is that the shrewdest move? Colin Cowherd preached patience on "The Herd."

"I think Cleveland should wait a year," Cowherd said. "… Cleveland has low sports self-esteem. And when teams have low sports self-esteem, they often rush to sign somebody who gives them a little love. They have a little success. … So, Baker gives them a playoff win and it would be very easy for Cleveland to go, ‘He likes us! Let’s give him a 10-year deal.'"

Colin Cowherd on why Browns shouldn't rush to sign Baker Mayfield to an extension ' THE HERD

Colin Cowherd breaks down why the Cleveland Browns should give it another year before committing to an extension for Baker Mayfield.

Why the hesitation from Cowherd? He pointed to a number of cautionary tales from recent years, including Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.

In his second year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Winston threw for 4,090 yards and 28 touchdowns, but the Bucs held off when it came time to offer him an extension.

He eventually left at the end of his rookie deal and the Bucs replaced him with Tom Brady (and a Super Bowl victory).

The Tennessee Titans didn't rush when it came to Mariota after his impressive second year, either. Now they have Ryan Tannehill, who has been a revelation with the Titans and made the Pro Bowl in his first year in Tennessee.

And just this offseason, a pair of teams who signed their highly touted quarterbacks to big-money deals wound up cutting bait shortly thereafter.

The Los Angeles Rams moved Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford, parting with two first-round picks ⁠— presumably to help alleviate the strain of Detroit taking on the remaining $100-plus million left on Goff's contract through 2024.

It's a similar story for Carson Wentz, whom the Philadelphia Eagles sent to the Indianapolis Colts this offseason after the relationship fell apart in the City of Brotherly Love.

It's not all doom and gloom when locking up a QB long-term, however.

Cowherd acknowledged there are times it makes sense, such as with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs signing a long-term pact and Josh Allen 's presumed extension with the Buffalo Bills.

But as Cowherd spelled out, "They're generational talents."

In closing for Cowherd, he pointed to a credo regarding splashing the cash. "In the NFL, there's two rules: Pay great money infrequently, and wait as long as you can to pay it," Cowherd said.

And that mantra jibes with former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum, who addressed the Mayfield extension last week on ESPN.

Whenever Mayfield signs on the dotted line, assuming he does, Emmanuel Acho said he believes the QB will be deserving of every penny.

For the "Speak For Yourself" co-host, it all comes back down to Mayfield pulling the Browns out of the mire of mediocrity of the past two decades.

"Baker Mayfield took a team that hadn't been to the playoffs since 2002," Acho said. "Hadn't won a playoff game since 1994. Took them to the playoffs and got a playoff victory. So as I look at it, what Baker Mayfield has done for the Cleveland Browns is greater than what Lamar Jackson has done for the Baltimore Ravens, and greater than what Josh Allen has done for the Buffalo Bills, in perspective of what had been done there prior."

Coming off of his best year in the NFL, 2021 could be major for Mayfield ⁠— both for his trophy case and his bank account.

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