Mayfield's season ends on sideline, surgery awaits Browns QB

At least Baker Mayfield's exit meeting went well. Just about everything else this season for the Browns quarterback was off the mark.

And while the season is over, his time in Cleveland isn't as defined.

Mayfield watched Sunday's home finale wearing a stocking cap on the sideline as Cleveland capped a disappointing season with a 21-16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals — a victory that brought little comfort to a Browns team that had been expected to do much more.

It was an anticlimactic ending for Mayfield, whose attempt to play through injuries all season led to inconsistency in his performances. Mayfield, who is scheduled to undergo surgery Jan. 19 on his left, non-throwing shoulder, met with coach Kevin Stefanski on Friday to discuss a season that didn't go their way and how to improve moving forward.

Whether that's together remains to be seen. There've been obvious frustrations, and the losing has spawned speculation about a rift between the coach and the 26-year-old quarterback, even though Stefanski said Friday that he had a “good relationship” with Mayfield.

Stefanski offered no details about their conversation, but that Mayfield left it on a positive note.

“He's looking forward and I am looking forward for him to get the surgery, rest up, get healthy and all of those things,” Stefanski said.

Barring a major shift, it appears the Browns will head into the offseason with Mayfield as their starter for next season.

Mayfield is under an $18.9 million contract for next season after the Browns (8-9) exercised the option. The team has not spoken to his agents about a long-term extension, and the Browns' hesitancy to lock Mayfield up has led to speculation that they may be looking for his replacement.

Stefanksi was asked if he discussed a plan with Mayfield about being Cleveland's starter.

“Obviously, those type of meetings are between me and the players," Stefanski said. "I think a lot of times those exit meetings are where they are, where their health is, where they are going, what we can do better and all of those type of things.”

If they can't find a better option either through a trade or free-agent signing, the Browns will have to stick with Mayfield, who threw seven interceptions in his last three games. He'll have to be better on and off the field.

Mayfield, who injured his shoulder in Week 2 while trying to make a tackle after throwing an interception, didn't make his teammates better. He struggled with his accuracy and failed to deliver in the clutch.

Mayfield also didn't help his case when he skipped a postgame interview session after a win over Detroit, and made headlines last week by responding angrily on social media to a report on his relationship with Stefanski by calling out Cleveland's media.

On Sunday, Mayfield watched as veteran backup Case Keenum threw two touchdown passes and led the Browns to a season sweep of the Bengals (10-7) and third-place finish in the AFC North.

It's not how he envisioned his season ending. It's not what the Browns had in mind, either.

When the final seconds ticked off the clock, Mayfield walked slowly toward the tunnel in a quickly emptying FirstEnergy Stadium. There were few cheers as he left the field.

Just a year ago, after helping Cleveland end its long playoff drought and taking the Browns to a playoff win at Pittsburgh, Mayfield seemed destined to becoming the long-sought franchise quarterback. He's now just a broken one.

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Browns general manager Andrew Berry understands Baker Mayfield's hurt feelings. He doesn't agree with his assertion the team misled the quarterback, who is currently in limbo.

Mayfield recently said he felt “disrespected 100%” by the Browns, who told him they expected him to return as their starter next season before pursuing and signing Deshaun Watson to a record-setting, $230 million contract.

“I was told one thing and they completely did another,” Mayfield said on a podcast.

On Friday, Berry addressed Mayfield's claims, saying the team was open with the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 about its plans.

"I've touched on this previously that we were transparent with our intentions with his reps,” Berry said. “That being said, I think we can all understand how Baker feels and sometimes things in the NFL, whether it’s team-related, coach-related, player-related, they may not work out.

"And Baker is a competitive and driven young man who’s had success as a quarterback and will continue to have success as a quarterback. So definitely understand it.”

Mayfield is still with the Browns as the team tries to work out a trade. There hasn't been much of a market to this point, and Cleveland's desire to deal him is complicated by the QB's $18.8 million contract next season.

At his pre-draft news conference Friday, Berry wouldn't comment on specifics whether a trade for Mayfield was imminent or the possibility he could be on Cleveland's roster after next week's draft.

“Quite honestly anything regarding speculation on the future, several months out, that’s probably unfair because we realize that circumstances in the NFL change, and quite honestly my focus has been on the draft next week, just because we’re inside of a week,” Berry said.

The GM dismissed whether Mayfield's comments would do any damage to the team's reputation in dealing with players.

“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 nonfactor,” he said. "We try and stay in communication with all of our player reps, especially with sensitive or unique situations, and this is no different.”

Mayfield's four-year stint with Cleveland likely ended after a season in which he struggled after injuring his left shoulder. The 26-year-old has been rehabbing after undergoing surgery, and as expected didn't report to the Browns' offseason program this week.

On Saturday, Mayfield will have a statue of his likeness unveiled following Oklahoma's spring game. That honor goes to the school's Heisman Trophy winners.

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