Browns deal Mayfield to Panthers

From being drafted first to dumped in four years, Baker Mayfield's wild fouryear 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 of Mayfield's $18.8 million contract for next season, according to sources. The Panthers will pay $4.8 million and Mayfield will take a $3.5 million pay cut, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade can't be finalized until Mayfield passes a physical.

However, the trade was announced by the Panthers, who will host the Browns in the coming season's opener — with Mayfield's addition spicing up the matchup.

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 suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

Watson has been accused of sexual misconduct by two dozen massage therapists in Texas.

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.

The 27-year-old will compete for Carolina's starting QB job with Sam Darnold, who was taken two picks after Mayfield in 2018.

Mayfield passed for 3,725 yards and 27 touchdown passes as a rookie, breaking the NFL record for a first-year quarterback. However, Mayfield's second season was a major setback. He threw nearly as many interceptions (21) as touchdowns (22) and seemed to be on a different page of the playbook than star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Cleveland went 6-10 and fired coach Freddie Kitchens.

The 2020 season signaled a turnaround as Mayfield led the Browns back to relevance with their first postseason appearance since 2003. He thrived in firstyear coach Kevin Stefanski's offense, throwing 20 TD passes and just three interceptions in his last 12 games.

• Ex-Broncos star receiver Demaryius Thomas was suffering from stage 2 CTE when he died late last year, according to his parents.

Katina Stuckey Smith and Bobby Thomas said the diagnosis came after an examination of their son's brain following his death in December, according to a news release from the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

Smith and Thomas said their 33-year-old son died of cardiac arrest caused by a seizure disorder that led to his retirement from football in June of 2021.

• The Falcons acquired run-stopping help for the middle of their defensive line, signing former Bears defensive tackle Eddie Goldman to a one-year deal. Goldman, 28, started 73 of 81 games in six seasons with the Bears, recording 166 tackles and 13 sacks.

Van Aert's Tour de France lead shrinks

Australian rider Simon Clarke won a crash-marred fifth stage of the Tour de France while Wout Van Aert clung onto the leader's yellow jersey despite coming off his bike.

It was a first individual win on the Tour for Clarke, who was in tears after crossing the line.

The big winner though was Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar, who kick-started his bid to win a third straight Tour with a sensational ride over the cobbles to slash the gap to Van Aert to 19 seconds on a day where several of his rivals lost time.

American cyclist Neilson Powless just missed out on a podium finish but moved into second in the overall standings, 13 seconds behind Van Aert.

USMNT midfielder Adams heads to EPL

American midfielder Tyler Adams joined English Premier League team Leeds in a move which reunites him with coach Jesse Marsch.

Adams, who signed a five-year contract, with a reported fee of $23.8 million, played under Marsch in MLS with the New York Red Bulls and then in Germany with Leipzig.

• The MLS Disciplinary Committee cracked down on three Galaxy players, including an addition of a second game to the suspension of forward Douglas Costa.

Costa was suspended for Monday's game against Montreal for an elbow to the back of the head of Minnesota's Joseph Rosales late in a game June 29. A second game was added to his suspension for what was deemed “violent conduct.”

Other Galaxy players who received fines were Kevin Cabral for not leaving the field in a timely manner and Daniel Aguirre for “simulation/embellishment.”

Williamson and Beal sign huge deals

Zion Williamson put pen to paper, signed his name, looked up and said: “I'm locked in, baby.”

That's the phrase the New Orleans Pelicans have been waiting to hear. Williamson firmed up his commitment to the team on his 22nd birthday by signing a five-year deal that could be worth up to $231 million.

Asked where this ranks among birthdays, Williamson said, “Number one.”

The deal is worth at least $193 million with escalators for winning MVP honors, being named Defensive Player of Year or making an All-NBA team.

There are no player options in the contract so Williamson will be part of the Pelicans for five seasons, barring a trade.

Williamson missed all of last season due to a broken right foot and has played in just 85 games over his first three seasons.

He was an All-Star in the 2020-21 season, when he averaged 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in 61 contests.

• Bradley Beal declined his option for 2022-23 season and officially signed a new five-year deal with the Washington Wizards valued at a maximum $251 million with another unique element: the NBA's first true no-trade clause. The fifth year of the contract is a player option.

The 29-year-old has spent his entire career with the Wizards and had a chance to leave for another team on a maximum four-year deal as a free agent.

Beal declined his $36.4 million player option, which paved the way to a massive payday. Entering his 11th season with Washington, he is a three-time All-Star who has twice averaged more than 30 points per game in a season.

• The Portland Trail Blazers

acquired forward Jerami Grant and the draft rights to Ismael Kamagate from the Detroit Pistons. Detroit will receive the draft rights to Gabriele Procida, a 2025 first-round draft pick, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 second-round pick.

• The Chicago Bulls signed veteran center Andre Drummond, adding a twotime All-Star and four-time rebounding champ.

•Sabrina Ionescu recorded the first 30-point triple-double in WNBA history, posting 31 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the New York Liberty 116107 win over the Las Vegas Aces.

Ex-player, S.J. scout Marchment dies at 53

Former NHL defenseman Bryan Marchment died in Montreal while attending the NHL draft as a scout for the San Jose Sharks. He was 53.

A cause of death was not immediately available.

Marchment played 17 NHL seasons from 19892006 with Winnipeg, Chicago, Hartford, Edmonton, Tampa Bay, San Jose, Colorado, Toronto and Calgary.

• The New Jersey Devils named their first female assistant GM, making Kate Madigan the sixth woman to hold the title in the NHL.

The NHL has seen several women promoted to assistant GM roles in the last month.

NASCAR's Gragson fined for rough driving

• NASCAR driver Noah Gragson was fined $35,000 and docked 30 points in the Xfinity Series standings for rough driving that led to a crash in last Saturday's race at Road America.

NASCAR said that 30 points also were deducted from JR Motorsports in the owner standings.

The penalties were levied because of Gragson's actions started a 13-car pileup. He intentionally used his car to bump Sage Karam after the two had been fighting for position.

• The PGA Tour and LPGA Tour have canceled tournaments in Shanghai that were scheduled for October because of ongoing restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The HSBC Champions, part of the WGC series, was canceled for the third straight year. The Buick LPGA Shanghai has not been played since 2019.