Browns GM Andrew Berry on Baker Mayfield feeling disrespected: 'Definitely understand it'

BEREA — General Manager Andrew Berry conceded he understands why Baker Mayfield is sour about the Browns breaking up with him.

But Berry didn't open up at all about how or when he hopes to finalize the divorce with the quarterback whom the Browns drafted first overall in 2018.

Berry declined to comment Friday on whether he has fielded trade offers for Mayfield or whether a deal is imminent with the April 28-30 NFL Draft approaching.

However, Berry conceded he understands why Mayfield said recently on a podcast he felt disrespected by the Browns after they sent six draft picks to the Houston Texans on March 18 in a controversial trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson, who faces 22 active lawsuits from women accusing him of sexual misconduct or sexual assault during massage appointments.

“I think I have touched on this previously that we were transparent with our intentions with [Mayfield's] reps,” Berry said Friday in his annual pre-draft news conference at team headquarters. “That being said, I think we can all understand how Baker feels, and sometimes things in the NFL, whether it is team related, coach related or player related, they may not work out. Baker is a competitive and driven young man who has had success as a quarterback and will continue to have success as a quarterback, so definitely understand it.”

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Last month during the NFL owners meetings, Berry did indeed touch on his stance that the Browns were transparent with Mayfield's camp about their approach to the quarterback position this offseason, but the GM also admitted he had a regret about how the business was handled.

Berry had told reporters Jan. 11 and March 1 he "fully" expected Mayfield to be the team's starting quarterback next season. And Berry delivered the same message to Mayfield's agent in early March at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis while also explaining the Browns would conduct their due diligence on other quarterbacks, a person familiar with the conversation said.

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However, Berry did not tell Mayfield or his agent the Browns would meet with Watson on March 15 in Houston. Mayfield and his advisers found out about the visit through the media, and Berry said he regretted the breakdown in communication.

“We were pretty open with Baker and his camp in terms of how we viewed the position,” Berry said during the owners meetings in Palm Beach, Florida. “I will keep those conversations private for obvious reasons. Quite honestly, if there's probably one thing that I would regret or kind of go back [and do] differently, when he had been notified that we were one of the teams that Deshaun wanted to meet with, late that Monday night, we set up the visit. I had set up a call for Baker's representation the following morning. The news got out before I was able to make that call.

“You always hate those type of situations because it kind of gives off an appearance of — that's never how you want someone to find out about that situation. That's the one thing I wish I had done a little bit differently. But on the whole, we had been pretty candid in terms of where we stood at the quarterback position really since very early in the offseason.”

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As Browns brass flew back from the meeting in Houston, Mayfield posted what read like a farewell letter to Cleveland on social media.

Two days after the Browns met with Watson, he informed them he would not waive the no-trade clause in his contract to play for Cleveland. The same day, Mayfield formally requested a trade from the Browns.

The next day, however, Watson changed his mind and picked the Browns, who gave him a record-setting contract for five years and $230 million fully guaranteed.

"I feel disrespected 100% because I was told one thing and they completely did another," Mayfield said during an hour-and-a-half episode of the "Ya Neva Know: You Know What I Mean?" podcast that was released April 13. "That’s what I’m in the middle of right now. And you know what? OK. I got my taste of it because I’ve had four different head coaches in four years, a bunch of different coordinators. I’ve had the highs, and they always come back."

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Now Mayfield is awaiting a trade. On the podcast, he mentioned the Seattle Seahawks being “probably … the most likely option.” The Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions are other teams with unsettled quarterback situations.

Berry wouldn't comment on whether Mayfield's salary of $18.858 million guaranteed for next season is the greatest obstacle in trading him, but it's not a secret that it is, and the Browns will likely need to pay some of it to facilitate a deal.

“We will deal with that situation as the circumstances evolve,” Berry said.

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Trades are often executed around and during the draft, but Berry wouldn't share an expectation for the timing of a Mayfield move.

“Quite honestly, anything regarding kind of speculation on the future or several months out, that is probably unfair because we realize that circumstances in the NFL change,” Berry said. “Quite honestly, my focus has been on the draft next week because we are inside of a week. All of those kind of larger roster issues are things that may surface over the next five, six or seven months, and I will shift my focus after [the draft].”

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Berry was asked how much communication he has had with Mayfield's camp about a potential trade, given the quarterback has made it known he feels disrespected.

“In terms of comments or anything, I really don’t pay a ton of attention to noise or kind of outside narratives so that is really kind of a non-factor,” Berry said. “We try and stay in communication with all of our player reps, especially with sensitive or unique situations, and this is no different.”

Berry said he wouldn't predict whether the trade market for Mayfield would heat up after the first two days of the draft when other teams will have better knowledge of their quarterback situations. Berry was also mum on whether Mayfield could remain with the Browns when training camp rolls around in late July.

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To be clear, the Browns have no plans to keep Mayfield and play him in the likely event of the NFL suspending Watson under its personal conduct policy.

The Browns signed Jacoby Brissett for the backup role and Josh Dobbs for the third spot on the quarterback depth chart.

“We think quarterback is the most important position, and that really kind of extends to the entire room,” Berry said. “Backup quarterback for us will always be a priority just because of the way that the performance of that position goes oftentimes defines your season.

“Jacoby is an individual who is very talented, he is seasoned, he has played in a number of different offenses and he has been called into action in several situations and several unique situations and has performed well. He is a guy who we were excited about going into the spring, and we were fortunate enough to acquire him.”

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

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns GM definitely understands why Baker Mayfield feels disrespected