All eyes on Baker, along with all media outlets

Baker Mayfield returned to Norman for only the second time to put on his own football camp at the University of Oklahoma.

It may not have been the screaming mass of Mayfield maniacs that greeted him in 2019, but Mayfield still attracted almost 400 kids to his first post pandemic camp back on Oklahoma soil.

This time around, Mayfield also wanted to include more kids by inviting youngsters who were part of the Folds of Honor program. Children who may have lost family members or found themselves in difficult situations due to the price paid by their parents defending our country. Mayfield also invited local kids from the Boys and Girls Club to be a part of the camps.

“I said it earlier but I think I have more fun than the kids do,” said Mayfield. “Just to be able to come out here and just have fun, get some fundamentals in, teach them a few things but really just to enjoy the game of football. That’s what it’s all about, having fun while you are doing it. That’s where I’m trying to get back to is enjoying the game and loving it.”

There hasn’t been a lot to love for Mayfield recently. After struggling a year ago while playing through an injury, the Browns essentially replaced Mayfield by trading for the Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson.

From there, it’s been one of the worst transfers of power from QB1 to QB1 in NFL history.

While Mayfield spent his morning on a practice field surrounded by wide-eyed kids, sponsorship tents lining the sidelines and a welcoming media contingent, the quarterback Cleveland chose to replace him, Watson, was preparing to face a disciplinary hearing which looks to ban him for the entire 2022 season, and possibly further.

As the news of the NFL’s intentions have spread throughout Cleveland, Browns fans are suddenly interested in whether or not Mayfield would return to potentially save their season. Mayfield did not participate in the Browns’ voluntary OTAs and he was excused from mandatory OTAs.

With Mayfield owed $18 million by the Browns, some expect him to step up and play.

Mayfield’s feet are back in Norman, which he has always referred to a home. And Cleveland no longer feels like home to Baker.

“I think it’s been pretty obvious, the mutual decision on both sides is to move on,” said Mayfield when asked if could see himself playing for the Browns next season. “I’m thankful for my four years in Cleveland. There’s a lot of ups and downs and a ton of learning experiences that I’ll forever keep with me.

“The support staff in Cleveland, the people of Cleveland, it’s a great sports town. There’s no resentment toward the city of Cleveland by any means.”

But what about a year-long suspension for Watson. What about the $18 million? What about the chance to get the last laugh against the Browns?

Is there any chance Mayfield could reconcile with the Browns and return if Watson was gone this season?

“No, I think for that to happen there would have to be some reaching out,” answered Baker. “We’re ready to move on, I think on both sides.”

And if you’re Mayfield, w hat about the people who made the decision to move on from Mayfield?

How would they look if Mayfield came out and had an All-Pro season? What if he led them to the playoffs? To the Superbowl?

The decision to replace Mayfield with a player with as much baggage as Watson might get a lot of people fired eventually. But let Baker play for the Browns and have him play like Mayfield from two years ago…

People will be fired then.

It’s a terrible situation for Baker. It’s a terrible situation for the Browns. But this was not Mayfield’s doing.

The Browns pulled the trigger. And Mayfield is ready to move on to an opportunity with a team who wants him. A team who will stand by him and support him. Until that happens, he continues to prepare for that next home.

“It’s been a lot of pulling people together and scrapping it together down there in Lake Travis having some routes going on and I’ve been working with a guy named Jeff Christiansen who is extremely knowledgeable about fundamentals of playing quarterback,” explained Mayfield. “Been throwing with Danny Amendola, Cole Beasley and a couple of other guys just around the area and it’s just been great.”

Today, Mayfield did nothing more than remind the Browns that the damage has been done.

The expectation is that Mayfield will move on, find a new home and use the last six months as fuel. And hopefully by the time he comes back to Norman for another camp, the screams for the campers will be ear shattering once again.

We do know one thing about Baker. He’s never going to breakup with OU. And OU fans are never going to breakup with him. Being back here, for this day, with everything else going on his professional life shows us how much this matter.

“We didn’t know exactly the scheduling of when to do it because of everything that’s up in the air for me, but it was definitely a priority and decided this was a time period where nothing was really going to be going on,” said Baker.

“It’s just fun to be able to come back and give back and just to show that I really do care about this place because they helped mold me into who I am today. It’s a great reset always and this will always be home.”