CLEVELAND — After the Cleveland Browns pursued a trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, quarterback Baker Mayfield has requested a trade from the team. The team is not planning to honor that request, however, a league source confirmed to News 5.
The move comes not long after the team entered the pursuit of Watson. General manager Andrew Berry made clear that the organization would be exploring their options at every position this offseason, including at quarterback.
Mayfield had to have been aware of the situation, but during the process, before the Browns were ruled out of the running for Watson, Mayfield took to social media to share a letter to Cleveland fans, thanking them for their support over the past four years.
"I have no clue what happens next, which is the meaning behind the silence I have had during the duration of this process. I can only control what I can, which is trusting in God's plan throughout this process," Mayfield wrote. "I have given this franchise everything I have. That is something I've always done at every stage, and at every level. And that will not change wherever I take my next snap."
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While the letter was not a goodbye, but rather a statement surrounding the uncertainty of his future, it read as though the Browns' process had impacted him emotionally.
The Browns' desire to explore possible upgrades at the quarterback position was perhaps the final strain that caused a fracture—felt after a season of disappointment and falling outs—to become a full-on break.
But despite requesting a trade, the Browns do not plan to honor Mayfield's request. At this moment the plan is to move forward with him. How that happens with his desire to be dealt elsewhere will remain to be seen.
Wiith Watson out of the conversation and Mayfield's lack of desire to remain in Cleveland, the Browns have more work to do. The team will need to either work to repair the relationship with Mayfield or look elsewhere to replace him. 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo or Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr may be names the Browns explore moving forward if the fracture between Mayfield is truly irreparable.
RELATED: Browns out of running to acquire Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson
Camryn Justice is a digital content producer at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
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