Cleveland Browns: So far, Tyrod Taylor worth the price

It’s early, but the Cleveland Browns have to be pleased with the acquisition of Tyrod Taylor for Baker Mayfield and the team as a whole.

The Cleveland Browns haven’t played a game in 2018 and haven’t even put on pads yet, but the early indication is that Tyrod Taylor has been worth the price for his acquisition and then some. Taylor’s professionalism and work ethic have earned him praise from coaches and teammates and he’s doing everything the Browns have needed from a quarterback and almost never had while adding a young quarterback.

Baker Mayfield, the quarterback the Browns have tabbed to be their franchise signal caller, has been impressive in his own right, but he has a fantastic model in which to learn what it takes to be a professional in the NFL. He’s the first one in the building and the last one out, but he also brings a ton of poise and confidence to the quarterback room as well as the credibility of being a quarterback that took a franchise that hadn’t been to the playoffs in over a decade.

The Browns want Tyrod to lead them to victories and Taylor wants to win for his own sake, but the trade will be graded by how Mayfield does. If Taylor leads the Browns to a 9-7 record, but Mayfield is unable to become the quarterback they need him to be, it’s a nice season but ultimately doesn’t truly them help to progress. They’d still be looking for their franchise quarterback and they aren’t a true threat to win the Super Bowl until they have it.

2007 is the obvious example of this. 10-6 was a nice season even without a playoff berth and a surprise Pro Bowl year from Derek Anderson, but the hope was it would let Brady Quinn develop into the team’s starting quarterback for the future. The Browns immediately regressed in 2008 and Quinn wasn’t the answer at quarterback.

The Browns had this type of presence with Josh McCown before Hue Jackson cut him, suggesting it was time for him to be a coach. McCown then went on to have a good season for the New York Jets.

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A willing mentor, McCown was always invested in the success of the young quarterbacks around him. Johnny Manziel has had any number of critical things to say about the Browns organization and his time here, but he has nothing but kind words for McCown, who he has stayed in touch with as he now tries to make a career for himself in the CFL.

The question of when Mayfield is going to be on the field is somewhat muted, which is the best possible situation for both Mayfield and the Browns. Mayfield is more than equipped to play from the start, but the fact he doesn’t have to is valuable. Adjusting to the NFL is more than just learning the playbook. It’s adjusting to being an adult, getting teammates to believe in him and coming to grips with the hefty weight of being the face of an NFL franchise. Thus far, Mayfield appears up to the task.

Having Taylor, it’s less about Mayfield and more about wins and the team as a whole. Taylor isn’t holding Mayfield’s hand — that’s Drew Stanton’s job — but giving him a path to follow. A sixth round pick out of Virginia Tech, Taylor hasn’t been handed anything; he had to earn it. An afterthought in Baltimore, he found his way to the Buffalo Bills where he had success and a playoff berth. And the Bills traded him.

On top of all the other reasons Tyrod works hard, he’s got a little added fuel from a Bills organization saying he wasn’t good enough for them, actively trying to replace him last season. Much like Mayfield, Taylor isn’t someone that lacks an edge, as one reporter found out when he wrongfully suggested Tyrod Taylor spent time on the practice squad. It’s one more thing that drives him.

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Compare the situation the Browns have now as opposed to last year where Hue Jackson convinced himself that DeShone Kizer was ready to be a starting quarterback. He cut what should’ve been his veteran mentor in McCown and deluded himself into believing he could “fix” him on the fly.

Kizer had no clue what he was doing and it showed. He was looking for guidance and all he received was a fool telling him he was a franchise quarterback before abandoning him, trading him.

Mayfield has guidance, a path to follow and someone to chase. In his college career, that’s always when he’s been at his best. He, like Tyrod, uses doubt as fuel and is always looking to prove critics wrong. And while he’s saying all the right things and won’t be a distraction or problem, he’s focused on one thing; catching Tyrod and beating him out for the job.

After what was a successful minicamp for Mayfield, he’s got about a month to do everything in his power to prepare himself to close the gap between himself and Taylor. He’s got plenty of motivation on his own, but he’s not the starter, so he’s got to work that much harder and be that much better if he’s going to take that job as a rookie, which is exactly the mentality this team wants.

Plenty will be critical of Mayfield if he’s unable to unseat Taylor for this season, but they shouldn’t be. The Browns are putting Mayfield in the best position to succeed, which is what should happen with a rookie quarterback. And given John Dorsey’s experience in Kansas City, having Patrick Mahomes sit for the first 15 games behind Alex Smith, he can see the value in waiting. So even if Mayfield keeps it close or is even with Tyrod, the Browns will almost certainly err to the veteran.

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But even if it’s okay for Mayfield to sit as a rookie, he’s not going to be satisfied. That doesn’t mean he’s going to be a problem or disrupt the team, but it does mean he’s competing and he’s going to do everything in his power to win the job. That’s the mentality of a two time walk on and that’s not something he’s likely to lose in the NFL. It may be the exact trait that allows him to be a successful NFL quarterback and be everything the Browns need.

It remains to be seen what will happen with Baker Mayfield in his career with the Cleveland Browns, but thus far, they’re getting everything they could have possibly hoped for out of the acquisition of Tyrod Taylor. Without actively being a mentor for Mayfield, he’s showing him the way to be a successful NFL quarterback and since Mayfield is more talented than Tyrod, it will hopefully lead to the Browns finally having their franchise quarterback. That would make the third round pick used to acquire Tyrod a small price to pay to ensure their investment.