"I feel terrible for the Cleveland Browns" - Julian Edelman thinks franchise's biggest blunder was getting rid of Baker Mayfield

Julian Edelman didn’t mince words when discussing the Cleveland Browns’ decision to part ways with Baker Mayfield. The retired wide receiver was pessimistic about the team’s future, claiming they wasted it when they moved on from the veteran playmaker.

During Thursday's edition of "Dudes On Dudes," Edelman praised Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman for trading Kenny Pickett for a fifth-round pick and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Then, he lamented that Pickett landed in such a complicated situation.

"It's hard to be the future in Cleveland, okay? So, you know, I think their future is in Tampa right now. They got rid of him, and that's Baker Mayfield — the future that they had, they got rid of. So they browned it somehow, and I feel terrible for the Cleveland Browns," Edelman said. (58:06 mark)

"I feel terrible for the Cleveland Browns because I went to school in northeast Ohio and I know those people live, die and breathe the Browns and they're fed up with it. So, I feel bad for Kenny having to go into this situation, 'cause that's going to be a tough situation regardless."

Edelman noted that the Browns at least paid Myles Garrett, who requested a trade in February, but said the Deshaun Watson contract was a huge mistake by the team.

Cleveland is coming off a dismal 3-14 campaign in 2024 and holds the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

How has Baker Mayfield fared since leaving Cleveland Browns?

After posting 17 passing touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 14 games during his final season with the Browns, Baker Mayfield bounced around the NFL with stops in Carolina with the Panthers and Los Angeles with the Rams before finding his place in Tampa Bay.

In his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mayfield threw for 28 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions while recording a then-career-high 4,044 passing yards. He signed a three-year, $100 million deal ahead of the 2024 season. He completed 407 of 570 pass attempts (71.4 percent) for 4,500 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

The Buccaneers won the NFC South in each of those seasons and are aiming to do so for a third straight time, though the Atlanta Falcons are expected to pose a significant threat.