Sticking with Baker Mayfield best plan for Cleveland Browns
By John Suchan
The Cleveland Browns have their franchise quarterback in Baker Mayfield and should stick to the plan of keeping him here long term
Getting to a Super Bowl is a challenge for all NFL teams. Winning one is an even bigger uphill accomplishment. Some teams, such as the Seattle Seahawks, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Pittsburgh Steelers or the New England Patriots have had more opportunities at that elusive Lombardi Trophy in recent times.
Let’s switch gears, for the moment and discuss the Cleveland Browns, who haven’t made one Super Bowl appearance yet in the history of the game. They’ve certainly had their share of close calls. The team got to three AFC championship games in the 1980s but have sputtered ever since.
With that being said, the point here is that getting to the big game for most teams is tough. The Browns are improving now and the organization is making decisions that are building their team into a championship-caliber roster. Their franchise quarterback is Baker Mayfield. He’s in his fourth season with the team and has one more year on his rookie deal after being selected No. 1 in the NFL draft back in 2018.
He has a 29-27 record as a starter and helped Cleveland get to the playoffs last year for the first time since 2003. On top of that, he helped lead that group to a playoff win against the Steelers on the road.
This season for Mayfield and the Browns hasn’t been smooth sailing, as it was a year ago when they went 11-5. This season they stand at 6-5. Mayfield has been dealing with a series of injuries that include his shoulder and knee and yet he still competes every Sunday.
The Browns defeated the Detroit Lions this past weekend 13-10, but if one were to listen to some of those that follow the team you would hear many want to do away with Mayfield and find a different quarterback for next season. The arguments out there suggest that Mayfield isn’t the guy to take the team to the Super Bowl.
First, let’s review a bit of Super Bowl history. In the last 22 Super Bowls, since the Browns returned to the field of play, the Super Bowl MVP has gone to nine quarterbacks. Of those, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fame has won the award five times alone.
In the other eight Super Bowls, the MVP went to a different position player, usually a defenseman like Malcolm Smith. Yes, that Malcolm Smith, the one that got the interception in the Lions game this past weekend. He won the award in Super Bowl 48 in 2014 when his team then the Seattle Seahawks crushed the Denver Broncos.
The idea here is that those that are claiming the Browns can’t get or win a Super Bowl with Mayfield are just wrong. Many times, in NFL history there have been numerous game managers, like Mayfield that can lead their team to that glorious win.
This week, on the Rich Eisen Show, which you can watch here, Eisen answered a concerned Browns fan question in regards to a “Plan B” if Mayfield were to leave the Browns. Eisen went on to discuss this latest rise of concern by many that are fans of the team.
As for one answer by fans and local media, their plan B is suggesting that a player like Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers could come here to Cleveland and the Browns would go to the Super Bowl. As Eisen responded to that claim, he correctly pointed out that Rodgers, who’s now 38 years old wouldn’t be remotely interested in coming to Cleveland.
In the end, Eisen suggests the other plan B is basically having the team start from scratch if Mayfield were to not stay after next season. And has he reminds Browns fans, why would you want that after going through 30 quarterbacks since 1999 and prior to Mayfield’s arrival four years ago? Let’s review:
Tim Couch
Ty Detmer
Doug Pederson
Ken Dorsey
Charlie Frye
Austin Davis
Brady Quinn
Seneca Wallace… Should I go on?
Those that are currently trying to run Mayfield out of town because they say they’ve seen enough and he’s not the answer to get this team to that Super Bowl are just not being realistic in their thoughts. The Browns haven’t been to a Super Bowl yet, so why now would having a “Do-over” help the cause any more than what the organization has already been trying for the past 22 seasons?
Those fans and media outlets that suggest that those that support Mayfield now are only scared to let him go because of the historical struggles of finding a franchise quarterback.
No, they aren’t scared, they’re reasonable and understand that most NFL teams only get a franchise-type quarterback ever so often. Mayfield is the Browns franchise quarterback
I do think that the Browns quarterback has earned that second contract. How much he gets is up for debate, but he should get that next contract. Here are two more reasons why you stick with Mayfield for at least the foreseeable future.