BEREA, Ohio – Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield said Wednesday that he’s in “no rush” to get an extension done with the team and that his focus remains on the field.
“Everything happens for a reason and it’ll handle itself,” said Mayfield, who became eligible for an extension this offseason. “So, just worried about winning.”
The 2018 No. 1 overall pick is coming off a breakout season, quarterbacking the Browns to their first playoff victory in 26 years. In Cleveland’s first postseason appearance since 2002, Mayfield threw for 263 yards and three touchdowns, as the Browns snapped their 17-game losing streak in Pittsburgh.
Mayfield finished the season 10th in QBR, though from Week 7 to Week 15 he ranked third, trailing only the league’s last two MVPs, Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. Mayfield ended with 26 touchdowns and only eight interceptions, while completing almost 63% of his passes.
The Browns already have picked up Mayfield’s fifth-year option, which will pay him $18.86 million during the 2022 season. General manager Andrew Berry, however, has refrained from commenting specifically on a potential extension.
“We have been pretty consistent with our messaging around Baker that we think he had a really strong season for us,” Berry said in March. “We like the maturation and the growth, both on and off the field.”
Heading into Cleveland’s second minicamp practice, Mayfield called even thinking about the extension “a waste of time and energy” and that he prefers to keep his mind on what he can control.
“The chips will fall where they’re supposed to,” he said. “The concern right now is winning and building a strong foundation for the season. That’s what everyone in this building should be concerned about.”