2021 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings: How far ahead is Patrick Mahomes?

By Randy Gurzi | Jun 7, 2021

KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 17: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks for an open receiver in the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Divisional Playoff at Arrowhead Stadium on January 17, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /

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Jan 17, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half in an AFC Divisional Round playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

There’s no middle ground with Baker Mayfield. The Cleveland Browns starting quarterback is either seen as an over-confident player who is being carried by the talent around him or he’s seen as the savior of one of the more dysfunctional franchises in the NFL.

The truth, as it often does, actually lies somewhere in the middle. No, Mayfield has not single-handily saved the franchise. That’s not an insult to him either since one player usually cannot do this. He has, however, been huge in their turnaround.

Mayfield fits perfectly with the system installed by head coach Kevin Stefanski and during the second half of the 2020 season, he was playing like a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. He finished with 3,563 yards with 26 touchdowns and just eight picks, but most importantly, led the Browns to their first playoff win since returning to the league.

As for the part about him being carried by the talent, that too is over-stated. Cleveland does have a great offensive line and a stellar running game led by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt but the receiving corps leaves a lot to be desired.

Jarvis Landry racks up numbers but struggles against man defense, Odell Beckham missed most of the season with a torn ACL, and Rashard Higgins has been an over-achiever who succeeds in large part due to his rapport with Mayfield.

So in the end, we have a quarterback knocking on the door of the top-10 who should stop being punished for a disastrous 2019 under Freddie Kitchens. Mayfield will prove a lot of doubters wrong this season and that should start to end the unnecessary criticism.

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