What a Seahawks trade for QB Baker Mayfield could look like

The Seattle Seahawks are going through a soft rebuild. You will never catch Pete Carroll or John Schneider saying this.

However, when you trade/release future Hall-of-Famers Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, it is what it is. The team is looking to reallocate its resources to a younger, hungrier core.

The Seahawks have mentioned that they were high on Drew Lock in the draft. However, they also note it will be a competition at quarterback. What if a newly disgruntled QB is the next player the Seahawks take a swing for?

What a Seahawks trade for QB Baker Mayfield could look like.

The team has cap space. The team has draft capital. The Seahawks are known for taking chances on struggling players from high draft pedigrees. They also believe in the Ted Thompson quarterback theory that you can never have too many QBs.

It wouldn’t be the most shocking development to see them making a trade for a former top overall pick. See if they can re-establish his swagger and get a younger franchise quarterback.

Many probably are wondering why a former top overall pick is available at the most important position in the game anyway. The answer is, it is complicated.

• Baker Mayfield seems to have lost some of his mojo while playing for Cleveland.
• His accuracy on the run has gotten worse every year in the NFL.
• The 2021 season was riddled with injuries.
• Browns were all-in on acquiring Deshaun Watson.
• Reports came out from the Browns camp questioning Mayfield’s maturity.
• Browns lost out on the Watson sweepstakes.
• Mayfield feels the relationship is fractured beyond repair. A trade was requested.

Looking at this, it is clear that this isn’t a perfect acquisition. This would be another project player for the Seahawks to acquire. However, it has worked in the past. Look at Marshawn Lynch, Quandre Diggs, and DJ Reed.

A fresh start is likely what is needed for all parties. Get Mayfield to a fresh environment with a culture of winning and a head coach that is known for bringing out the best in his players. A coach who could be the best equipped in the league to help someone reacquire their swagger.

What a trade could look like:

Seahawks acquire: QB Baker Mayfield

Browns acquire: 2023 2nd round selection (Broncos pick)

In essence, the Seahawks trade Russell Wilson and a 4th-round pick for two-first round picks, one second-round pick, a fifth-round pick, DL Shelby Harris, TE Noah Fant, QB Drew Lock and QB Baker Mayfield.

This would give them two legit shots at replacing Wilson. This trade would also not hurt the Seahawks stock if they wished to draft a QB this year or next.

The Browns offload an underachieving quarterback with a massive cap hit for the best deal they can get. Unfortunately, it won’t be much considering his injury history, lack of consistency, and having only one year left on his contract.

Overall, I think this is a win-win for both teams. The Browns won’t feel strapped to the QB any longer and can target one in the draft (Kenny Pickett or Matt Corral would both be good fits). They could also look to sign one of Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, Marcus Mariota, or Ryan Fitzpatrick. Finally, they could try and make a trade for Sam Darnold, Tua Tagovailoa, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jalen Hurts, or Gardner Minshew.

The Browns don’t need a dominant QB. They just need one to hit the short pass and stay on schedule. Their run game is the emphasis of the game. Any of the aforementioned players can do just as much or more for their team than Mayfield.