Baker Mayfield's season is over.
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters on Tuesday that the quarterback will not play in Week 18 versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
Mayfield will instead undergo surgery on his injured left shoulder as soon as possible. Stefanski added he does not have a timetable on the QB's recovery.
After Monday night's loss in Pittsburgh, Mayfield admitted that he would undergo surgery on the torn left labrum that has bothered him for the bulk of the season. The QB suffered the injury in Week 2 and reinjured it in Week 6.
"I'm going to get my shoulder fixed," Mayfield said after the defeat. "I want to be able to come back next year at 100%."
At the time, Mayfield was unsure if he would play Week 18. Now we know it will be Case Keenum under center versus Cincinnati.
Stefanski added that "both sides were very involved" in the decision to end Mayfield's season a week early.
With surgery ahead, questions will inevitably turn to the former No. 1 overall pick's future in Cleveland. Mayfield is due $18.858 million fully guaranteed on his fifth-year option in 2022 and is in line for a potentially massive contract extension. The Browns must decide if they're willing to invest heavily in the QB, believing his struggles this season were a product of a litany of injuries. Or Cleveland could go year-to-year, utilizing the franchise tag in 2023, a la Washington with Kirk Cousins.
