As Baker Mayfield prepares to face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday for just the second time since being traded four years ago, one Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant coach believes the Browns made a mistake moving on from the quarterback.

Bucs senior offensive assistant/pass game specialist Ken Zampese, who was on Cleveland’s staff for Mayfield’s rookie year, told ESPN’s Jenna Laine the Browns “mucked it up” when they decided to trade Mayfield after the 2021 season:

“The year we were there, we were one of the best offenses in the NFL the second half of that season, 5-3, in a place that was — before that season started — 1-31. The script got flipped and the city came alive because they finally drafted a quarterback that worked out for them and they mucked it up. They mucked it up.”

Zampese was the quarterbacks coach for the Browns in 2018. Mayfield was the No. 1 pick in the draft that same year, but started his career as the backup to Tyrod Taylor.

After replacing Taylor as the starter in Week 4, Mayfield led the Browns to a 6-7 record over the final 13 games. The six wins were the most by a Cleveland quarterback in a single season since Brian Hoyer went 7-6 in 2014.

Mayfield was erratic over the next three seasons, though he helped the Browns to an 11-5 record with a playoff appearance in 2020. Their wild-card round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers remains their only playoff victory since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999.

Following the Browns’ acquisition of Deshaun Watson in a March 2022 trade with the Houston Texans, Mayfield was traded to the Carolina Panthers later that same offseason.

Things didn’t go well for Mayfield in Carolina, leading to him requesting his release late in the 2022 season and catching on with the Los Angeles Rams to start four games when Matthew Stafford was injured.

The Bucs, in need of a quarterback after Tom Brady’s retirement, signed Mayfield to a one-year deal in free agency prior to the 2023 season. He led them to an NFC South title in his first year to earn a three-year, $100 million contract to return.

Mayfield had a career year in 2024 with 4,500 yards and 41 touchdown passes to once again help the Bucs win a division championship.

Tampa once again committed to Mayfield before the start of this season by giving him a three-year, $165 million extension that keeps him under contract through 2029.

In 52 starts with the Buccaneers, Mayfield has a 27-25 record with 12,453 passing yards, 95 touchdown passes and a 66.6 completion percentage.

Since the start of the 2023 season, the Browns have used nine different starting quarterbacks who have a combined 19-33 record. The group has thrown for 10,191 yards, 60 touchdowns and 62 interceptions during that span.

The Browns and Buccaneers will play on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. Both teams are looking to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole to start the season coming off Week 1 losses.