First-overall pick and Cleveland Browns rookie Baker Mayfield showed the type of competitor he is when it came to getting his contract done.
The Cleveland Browns sent shockwaves through the NFL when they pulled the trigger on taking quarterback Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Yes, he is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, but the player many deemed too small, too polarizing and perhaps not good enough to be the first pick was indeed just that.
And it didn’t take long for the first overall pick to sign his rookie deal once the winds of training camp came breathing down Mayfield’s neck though.
According to Mike Kils of 9 Sports, Mayfield told his agent to forget the off-set language and make the deal so that he could get into the practicing.
The Browns officially have both their quarterbacks in camp. Despite Mayfield signing on the dotted lines, NFL veteran Tyrod Taylor is penciled in as the starter. Mayfield, however, sits firmly as the Browns backup and quarterback of the future.
The team’s decision to draft Mayfield No. 1 overall with Taylor already on the roster was evidence of the Browns looking to groom the rookie. Browns head coach Hue Jackson reiterated Mayfield’s position as the backup after his contract signing, per Cleveland.com:
"“He’s not ready to walk out there right now and play, and that’s okay… We didn’t bring him here for that. We brought him here because he’s talented, we think he’s the future of this organization.”"
The Browns are in a very comfortable position since Taylor has a solid résumé. Taylor is coming over from the Buffalo Bills after leading the team to the postseason for the first time in over a decade. He’s a mobile threat who has a good arm and doesn’t turn the ball over.
Mayfield will have an uphill battle to unseat Taylor as the starter. However, simply being the backup doesn’t sit well with Mayfield. Mayfield spoke to the media Wednesday after camp and expressed his inability to become complacent in a backup role, again via Cleveland.com:
"“No, absolutely not,” said the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. “They’re doing everything they think is right and I believe in that and I believe in them. So when it comes down to the stuff that they’re saying, that’s not going to change my work ethic and if it does, then something’s wrong.”"
Mayfield had the right might mindset and always has. It’s how he was able to go from being a college football walk-on to a first overall pick. His fire and competitive nature is one of the reasons why the Browns made him their franchise quarterback. And it’s why he had the chance to win the starting job at some point doing the season.
A great camp could make him the starter
Currently, Taylor is ahead in any kind of quarterback race. He’s been around the NFL and different systems from his time in Baltimore as a backup to the Bills as the starter. Still, like everyone new to the Browns, Taylor and Mayfield alike will learn a new offense at the same time.
New offensive coordinator, Todd Haley comes over from Pittsburgh, bringing a dynamic style with him. Haley’s offense asks the quarterback to spread the field and challenge defenses vertically. Haley’s resume of quarterbacks he’s coached eerily resembles qualities that exist in Baker Mayfield — specifically, Kurt Warner and Tony Romo, both players had a huge chip on their shoulder with aggressive play styles.
Mayfield has a skill-set that trumps Taylor’s. He’s insanely accurate all over the field. In fact, he completed 53 percent of his throws that traveled 21 yards or more in college. While he doesn’t run the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds like Taylor, he’s quick in the pocket with an excellent sense of where the pressure is coming from. His escapability rivals a young Romo.
If they are close in camp, Mayfield can and should win the starting job. If the Browns get off to a bad start there will likely be an opening as well.
A bad start could force the Browns to do the inevitable. The Browns are looking to make the playoffs in a division where the Steelers reign supreme and the Ravens unequivocally have the best defense in the division. The team is expecting to win a lot more games than they have in recent years. With Taylor’s experience and the talent they surrounded him with, there are expectations. Should the Browns get off to a 1-4 start, however, there’s no doubt that the front office will put pressure on Jackson to throw Mayfield into the fire.
No matter what happens in camp or during the season, Browns fans should be excited about Mayfield. The competitive nature that exists within him won’t allow him to be average. The front office, led by general manager John Dorsey, has put the right pieces around him to ensure he succeeds. The stance he took on his contract is evident that he’s ready to come in and do whatever it takes to win.