So where will Baker set up shop next?
Surely it will be minutes, hours or maybe a day or two before a team signs Baker Mayfield after he was waived by the Carolina Panthers, at his request after learning he would be falling to No. 3 on the depth chart, on Monday morning.
Don Brennan’s daily hit on the world of sports betting. Whether you’re new to sports gambling or an experienced wagerer, this newsletter offers trustworthy insights into the odds game. 19+. Please gamble responsibly.
Thanks for signing up!
A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of Closing Lines will soon be in your inbox.
For one thing, the 27-year-old quarterback was the first overall pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2018 – ahead of guys like Saquon Barkley, Bradley Chubb and yes, Josh Allen – and he has proven he can play at a high level in the NFL.
It was just two years ago that Mayfield threw 26 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions while leading the Browns to an 11-5-0 regular season, then out-duelled Ben Roethlisberger 48-37 in a wild card game at Heinz Field before getting edged 22-17 at Arrowhead Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs, who had less trouble with the Bills and Buccaneers on their way to becoming Super Bowl champs.
He may never become an all-star, but if nothing else Mayfield showed that season he can be a good QB on a talented team.
Things have gone downhill for him since, as the Browns went back to being the Browns and then traded him to the Panthers, a team full of holes.
Two good teams developed immediate needs yesterday when both Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens (8-4) and Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers (8-4) were injured on Sunday.
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said a knee injury suffered by Jackson is not season-ending but could keep him out “days to weeks.”
Tyler Huntley replaced Jackson yesterday and completed 27-of-32 passes for 187 yards, with no TD tosses but one interception, as Baltimore squeaked by the lowly Denver Broncos, 10-9.
Huntley has made four NFL starts, winning one of them, and if he is left to lead the Ravens without a veteran to serve as a safety net, at least, the Ravens Super Bowl odds that are currently ninth shortest at +2,100 (FanDuel) could grow significantly.
More likely is that Mayfield winds up in San Francisco, where Garoppolo is gone for the season with a broken foot.
Brock Purdy stepped in yesterday and guided the Niners to a 33-17 win over a good Miami Dolphins team by completing 25-of-37 for 210 yards, with two TD passes and one pick.
The 22-year-old seventh-round pick has never started an NFL game.
The Niners also have on their depth chart Josh Johnson, a 36-year-old who has a 1-8-0 record as a starter in a career that has included stops in Tampa, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Washington and with the New York Jets.
It figures that the Niners, who are tied for fifth on the FanDuel odds board at +1,200, need Mayfield as much as he needs them.
Of course, a lot of teams lower in the standings have to pass on claiming Mayfield off of waivers before he gets to Baltimore and San Francisco.
And Houston, Atlanta and the Los Angeles Rams, who will likely be without Matthew Stafford (neck) for the rest of the season, also are desperate for quarterback help.
But then Mayfield hasn’t played well for bad teams, so their inclination could be to take a pass.
– Don Brennan
