Browns' Baker Mayfield to Seahawks? Pete Carroll doesn't envision Seattle trading for a QB

You never know how things can change in the NFL, but Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Thursday he doesn't envision the Seahawks trading for a quarterback.

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield had mentioned the Seahawks last month as probably the most logical trade partner to get him out of Cleveland.

“Seattle? I mean, it'd probably be the most likely option. But even then, I've got no idea,” Mayfield said during an appearance on the "Ya Neva Know: You Know What I Mean?" podcast.

Well, Carroll's comments Thursday on Seattle's Sports Radio 93.3 KJR-FM suggest the Seahawks aren't willing to trade for Mayfield, at least not with him due $18.858 million guaranteed next season on his fifth-year option and the Browns reluctant thus far to pay a bulk of his salary to facilitate a deal.

"I don't see us making a trade for anybody at all," Carroll said when asked if the Seahawks have interest in adding a veteran quarterback who's been an NFL starter. "I don't see that happening. But we're certainly going to continue to be open to the chances to help our club, and meanwhile, we're just going to be battling and competing our tails off. There's always possibilities, so we keep open to that."

Would the Seahawks want to add a veteran QB if he suddenly became a free agent?

"There's no chance I'm going to tell you anything more than what I just told you, but I love you for trying," Carroll said with a laugh. "But really, honestly, we're going to keep looking and seeing what's available, but only to help our club and try to make us better. If the case presents itself, we're going to be ready for it."

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Translation: The Seahawks would likely pursue Mayfield if the Browns were to cut him, making him a free agent, but General Manager Andrew Berry doesn't want to release Mayfield because it would leave Cleveland on the hook for the vast majority of the QB's salary. Berry has repeatedly stressed he will be patient because he feels no pressure to rush into what he would consider a "suboptimal" trade from a Cleveland perspective.

Trade talks with the Carolina Panthers fizzled during the April 28-30 NFL Draft, with the Browns stopping short of agreeing to eat enough salary to get it done. The Panthers then traded up to select quarterback Matt Corral in the third round (No. 94 overall).

A source from a team that expressed interest in Mayfield told NFL reporter Josina Anderson, “No one’s trying to do the Browns any favors in this situation.”

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Mayfield has a notable connection in Seattle. Alonzo Highsmith is the Seahawks' senior executive adviser to GM John Schneider. Highsmith was a Browns vice president of player personnel when former GM John Dorsey drafted Mayfield first overall in 2018 out of the University of Oklahoma.

The Seahawks didn't select a quarterback in the recent draft, leaving them with Drew Lock, Geno Smith, Jacob Eason and Levi Lewis, a reported undrafted free-agent signing.

On March 2 at the NFL Scouting Combine, Carroll said "we have no intention" of trading star quarterback Russell Wilson. Then the Seahawks traded Wilson to the Denver Broncos on March 8, leaving them with an uncertain quarterback situation.

Of course, the Browns made a blockbuster move 10 days later, trading with the Houston Texans for Deshaun Watson on March 18 despite the quarterback facing 22 active lawsuits from women accusing him of sexual misconduct or sexual assault during massage appointments.

Mayfield said on the podcast he felt "disrespected" by the Browns' pursuit of Watson, who will be backed up by Jacoby Brissett and Josh Dobbs. The depth chart behind Watson carries more importance than it usually would because he will likely be suspended by the NFL under its personal conduct policy.

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The Browns and Mayfield have broken up, but the waiting game in finalizing the divorce continues.

With Mayfield in limbo, he's not contractually obligated to report to Browns headquarters until mandatory minicamp June 14-16. Mayfield would attend minicamp and training camp, which begins in late July, to avoid fines and potential contractual issues, a league source said. The Browns can excuse Mayfield but not tell him to stay away.

Meanwhile, other Browns players began participating in on-field drills Monday during the team's voluntary offseason workout program.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: With Baker Mayfield in limbo, Pete Carroll doesn't see a QB trade