Ranking every top QB-RB-WR trio in the NFL for 2021
By Randy Gurzi
6. Browns: Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham Jr., Nick Chubb
This is a trio that many of us expected to be much better than it has been to this point, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still expect big things from the Cleveland Browns triplets in 2021. One of the biggest reasons for that is the way that Baker Mayfield really started to come into his own for the team from Week 7 through the end of the year.
Unfortunately, that also coincided with the loss of Odell Beckham, Jr. who tore his ACL in that same game. With Beckham going down right before Mayfield made his ascension, it was assumed by many that OBJ was the reason for Mayfield’s early-season woes. This isn’t fair to say because Baker was still finding his way in Kevin Stefanski’s system.
That was also the fourth head coach in Mayfield’s third year and he was learning this one without any real work in the offseason due to COVID. Now, he’s comfortable and in control — and has a motivated OBJ who has heard the doubters.
As good as those two can be, the key cog in the Browns wheel is none other than Nick Chubb. The 35th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft should have had three straight seasons with more than 1,000-yards but he lost five yards to close out their Week 17 loss in his rookie season and he finished with 996 yards on the season.
He still eclipsed the mark in 2020 despite missing four games with a knee injury and has put himself in the conversation for being one of the best pure runners in the game. No matter what doubts there are in Mayfield and Beckham, Chubb’s presence alone lifts this trio.