Baker Mayfield free agency battle hots up as new suitors join Patriots in race
The New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons are both eyeing quarterback Baker Mayfield as a potential new signing in free agency. However, it's reported that Kirk Cousins is the top choice for Atlanta, who will attempt to sign Mayfield as a backup option if they can't get their top target.
On Sunday, rumours started to fly that Tampa Bay is trying to work out a deal to send Mayfield to Atlanta. But, the players or draft picks that might be involved in the trade were not revealed. The Patriots have a whopping £78 million in cap space to spend and could pick a quarterback third in the NFL Draft.
However, Mayfield is believed to be on their radar as an option after his impressive season with the Buccaneers. Last March, Mayfield signed a one-year contract with Tampa Bay.
He really made a name for himself in Week 15 when he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after a game against Green Bay. In that game, he had a perfect passer rating, completing 22 of 28 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns, helping his team win 34-20.
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After such a great performance, fans are hopeful that Mayfield will sign on again as their future quarterback. This feeling grew even stronger after he led the Bucs to victory in the Wild Card Round of the Playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles.
In that game, he completed 22 of 36 passes for 337 yards, scoring three touchdowns and making no interceptions, showing he could be a key player for the team in the future. Cousins first joined the Vikings in 2018, signing a fully guaranteed three-year contract worth $84 million. In 2020, he signed a two-year contract extension with the team for $66 million.
The team showed their faith in him by offering a one-year, fully guaranteed contract extension through the 2023 season worth $35 million. However, during Week 8, Cousins suffered a season-ending torn Achilles and was later placed on Injured Reserve.
Despite his injury-shortened season, Cousins still managed to finish with a 4-4 record, completing 216 passes for 2,331 yards and 18 touchdowns. While recovering from his injury in Michigan in February, Cousins said he was about three to four months away from being fit enough to play next season. He also said he was keeping his options open as he heads into free agency.
Baker Mayfield calls out play signals against the Detroit Lions (Getty)The Falcons, who have the 8th overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, are expected to target positions including quarterback, wide receiver, edge rusher, cornerback, and defensive tackle. Possible picks for the team include Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy or LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers. They hope to boost the team's offensive firepower and complement young stars like Drake London and Kyle Pitts.
There's chatter that the Falcons are in deep talks with the Chicago Bears to swap their draft pick for Justin Fields. If this deal goes through, it could mean Chicago says goodbye to the young quarterback and might draft Caleb Williams from USC with the first overall pick. General manager Ryan Poles stressed the need to share these decisions early, showing a wish for openness in their plans.
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