Browns trade former top choice Mayfield to Panthers in exchange for draft pick

Baker Mayfield's wild four-year ride in Cleveland is over.

The No. 1 overall pick in 2018, Mayfield was traded Wednesday by the Browns, who moved on from the divisive quarterback months ago and finally sent him to the Carolina Panthers for a future draft pick.

Mayfield, who was pushed out of his starting job amid the Browns' pursuit of Deshaun Watson, is going to Carolina for a conditional draft pick in 2024 or 2025.

The Browns are paying $10.5 million US of Mayfield's $18.8 million contract for next season, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The Panthers will pay $4.8 million and Mayfield will take a $3.5 million pay cut, said the people, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade can't be finalized until Mayfield passes a physical.

Mayfield can earn back some of the money through incentives. Also, if he plays 70 per cent of Carolina's snaps next season, the pick the Browns are receiving will be a fourth-rounder in 2024.

The trade was announced by both the Browns and Panthers, who coincidentally will meet in next season's opener in Charlotte, a matchup spiced up by Mayfield switching teams.

Mayfield's time with the Browns effectively ended in March when the team traded three first-round selections and six overall to the Houston Texans for Watson, who is facing a possible NFL suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

Mayfield, who played most of last season with a left shoulder injury, felt betrayed by Cleveland's move for Watson, demanded a trade and then had to wait until the Browns found a team both interested in him and willing to take on his salary.

Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam thanked Mayfield for his contributions.

"From the moment