Much has been made of Baker Mayfield and his lack of an extension. Fuel has been added to that fire recently, as the Browns have gone 2-5 in Mayfield’s last seven starts, and Cleveland has been limited to only 30 points over their last three games (with the QB tossing three touchdowns vs. three interceptions). However, Browns general manager Andrew Berry provided the former first-overall pick with a vote of confidence today, and he said the signal caller’s various injuries shouldn’t impact the team’s ability to win games.
“Baker’s our quarterback,” Berry said (via ESPN’s Jake Trotter). “He’s healthy enough to win games for us. If he’s ready to go, he’s going to be our starter.”
While Berry refused to speak specifically about Mayfield’s potential extension, he did acknowledge that the team would (naturally) consider the player’s entire body of work vs. his recent struggles.
“With Baker, from a long-term perspective, you try to take a big picture,” Berry said. “With any player, it’s about the body of work over several years. We’ve seen Baker play good football here and play good football this season…There will be plenty of time to think about how we’re going to build the roster next year. Right now, we’re focused on doing everything in our power to maximize this current season.”
Mayfield’s fractured shoulder issue did require one missed game, a narrow Week 7 win over the Broncos, but he has otherwise played through that issue — an ailment that will almost certainly require offseason surgery. The QB also exited the Browns’ Week 10 loss to the Patriots with a knee injury, but that hasn’t forced him to miss any games (and Mayfield has refused to use the knee injury as an excuse for his recent play).
“We all know Baker is incredibly physically tough,” Berry said. “He’s had stretches where he has played well.”
AKA we are playing the season out with him due to our offensive and defensive talent but if you think we are giving him big $$$ you are crazy.
Teams not winning a SB with Baker as QB
Need to get him some better wide receivers.
Do I think Baker is a star qb? No. Do I think he can win games? Yes. I think a shorter term contract (3ish) years averaging about $25-30 million is about right for him. The problem is, I don’t think he’s sign for anything less than 40 so I’d cut bait with him.
I almost fully agree with you. I wouldn’t even worry about the length of the deal. If I were a GM and could get him signed for 30m/yr or less, I’d do it. Anything more though and I’d probably let him go. To me, he’s right around the middle of the pack in QBs… and 25m is about the going rate there.
I always love how the NFL demands ‘player safety’, yet allows injured players to play.
The league shouldn’t be able to pick and choose what injuries this applies to, but they do.
Simple solution is to let him play out year #5 and see what you have. Browns need to address their terrible WR corps in the off-season and build OL depth.
Get Baker healthy and some better WRs and go from there. He’s going to be better than anything in the draft this year by far and I don’t see any marquee QBs available unless you give up the farm to get Russ or ARod which I don’t see either happening.
I think you are spot on. I’m sure Baker would like the extension before Year #5, it makes sense for the Browns to have Baker play out his 5th year. Unless they agree to a reasonable 2 year extension for both parties.
The most overrated starting QB in the league. He won’t win a title anywhere
Never say never. Trent Dilfer once won a Super Bowl. However, if you overpay Mayfield you won’t be able to build a good team around him and he’ll simply be Kirk Cousins 2.0
he is nowhere near as good as Cousins… just face reality and let him go…
Not that it’s a high bar, but I think he is 100% on par with Cousins. Cousins is far from an exceptional QB.
Cousins is better, imo. Mayfield has never completed more than 63.8% of his passes, Cousins is routinely over 67%. Cousins has a much better INT%, rating, QBR, his adjusted stats are way better. Mayfield is solid but not really that good, Cousins is good but not great.
Neither will win you a Super Bowl nor a lot of games on their own, but I would take Cousins every time over Mayfield.
Cousins has FAR FAR FAR better WRs…..that’s the difference.
Trade Greg Newsome for Jimmy G and a 5th rounder
Deal Baker and a 5th for Micheal Thomas.
Trade back in the first with the lions. Swapping the 16th for the 23rd and 65th picks.
Then draft Treylon Burks, while also adding a high third rounder.
Jimmy G, although not fantastic will have a year to show you what he can do before you pay him, and I bet he does more than Baker has done in 4 seasons, with only 1 winning season and 1 playoff win.
Now you have Thomas, Landry, Burks, Higgins, Peoples-Jones and Schwartz making up your WR group with Hooper and Bryant at TE.