CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Whatever you think about Baker Mayfield and his status as the Browns’ quarterback, realize there’s likely another fan who feels the same way on the opposite side.
The polls from our Mayfield Matrix series on the options for Mayfield’s future showed that.
It started with the first option last week. That idea focused on the Browns going all-in with Mayfield in 2022, with no other real starting option on the roster. The Browns would not sign him to an extension, but they’d make it clear he was their starter without a doubt.
On a scale of 1 to 10, with one meaning you didn’t like that option and 10 meaning you loved it, the final average after thousands of votes was a 5.25 -- so basically in the middle. But that middle average included a lot of extremes.
The most popular rating for that option was a 1 -- 22 percent picked that, hating the idea of going with only Mayfield. The second-most popular rating was a 10 -- 15 percent loved the idea of making Mayfield the clear QB for one more season.
Look at this grouping:
* A rating of 1, 2 or 3: 37 percent
* A rating of 4, 5, 6 or 7: 31 percent
* A rating of 8, 9 or 10: 32 percent
That’s one-third no, one-third yes and one-third in the middle.
What about the last option in the series, which was the most extreme -- trading Mayfield for a more established quarterback? The average for that was 4.8 -- again in the middle, but less popular than going all-in with Mayfield.
The most popular rating was again a 1 -- 27 percent hate the idea of trading Mayfield.
The second-most popular was 10 -- 17 percent love the idea of trading Mayfield.
By groups:
* A rating of 1, 2 or 3: 46 percent
* A rating of 4, 5, 6 or 7: 26 percent
* A rating of 8, 9 or 10: 28 percent
So that’s more toward Mayfield here. Almost half are quite against trading him, with one-quarter in the middle and one-quarter liking the idea of a deal.
The final poll asked to pick one of the five options. All five options received support, but the winner was keeping Mayfield while bringing in another veteran as a backup who could start if Mayfield faltered. The best real-life examples of that quarterback we could come up with were Teddy Bridgewater and Mitch Trubisky.
The final results:
* Bring in a veteran option with Mayfield: 25 percent
* Go all-in with Mayfield, without an extension: 23 percent
* Trade Mayfield for a more established QB: 23 percent
* Sign Mayfield to a modest extension: 15 percent
* Draft a real rookie option with Mayfield: 14 percent
Lumped together, that’s 39 percent bringing in a QB with Mayfield (a veteran or rookie); 38 percent going with only Mayfield (with or without an extension) and 23 percent moving on from Mayfield.
If I had to pick one, I’d be stuck between adding the veteran or drafting the rookie, but I know I’d want a hedge. I’d be reluctant to go with only Mayfield, and I’d be open to a deal depending on the quarterback and the cost. For this poll, I’d choose draft the rookie, because I’d be shooting for some upside there. But I’d want the veteran as well.
Right now, I think my ideal QB room for the Browns in 2022 would be Mayfield; Bridgewater signed as a free agent; and a rookie drafted in the second round if the right guy lasted that long. Mel Kiper’s first mock draft on Wednesday had four quarterbacks in the first round (Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral, San Howell), which would leave Desmond Ridder and Carson Strong potentially there for the Browns at No. 44.
That’s my vote. After these polls, I know there are many people that disagree.
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