Baker Mayfield underwent successful surgery today on his torn labrum, the Browns announced. The QB is expected to make a full recovery in four to six months.
[RELATED: Browns Plan To Keep Baker Mayfield]
“We’ll check that box off to get this fixed, and now it’s onto the road to recovery,” Mayfield said in an Instagram post. “It’s not going to be an easy one, but it’s going to be one that I remember, and it’s going to be a special one. I’ll keep you guys updated. Thank you so much. This is not the end of my story. It’s going to be one of those things where I look back and remember one of those challenges and adversity that I’ll try to take advantage of, and it’ll make me a better person.”
The four-to-six-month timeline means Mayfield could be good to go at any point between May and July, but fortunately for Mayfield, the torn labrum was in his non-throwing shoulder. As a result, the team expects the 26-year-old to begin throwing in April, and he’s expected to participate in the offseason program on a limited basis. He’s expected to be fully recovered by the time training camp starts.
2021 wasn’t a banner year for Mayfield (17 touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions), but he was clearly hampered by his injured shoulder. The Browns still haven’t inked the former first-overall pick to a contract extension, leading some to question his future in Cleveland. However, a recent report indicated that the Browns are planning to have Mayfield under center when they open the 2022 campaign.
Unless they perform surgery to add about 3-4 inches on this man he’s going to be a waste of money next year. Pray for Pickett.
It’s hardly that bad. His multiple injuries clearly affected Mayfield’s play, and pretty significantly at that.
My two questions are why in God’s name Cleveland didn’t shut their first overall pick down earlier and why, if they insisted on playing him, Stefanski relied so much on his injured quarterback to make so many critical plays. I don’t know who was more of a wasted signing of a capable backup this year, Foles or Keenum.
I feel Mayfield played out most of the season for multiple reasons.
For one, Mayfield himself seemed to be motivated to prove his doubters wrong and assert himself as a “tough” player. Unfortunately, this only gave fans the impression he was incapable of leading the Browns, though this was quite obviously because he was less than 100%.
I believe the other factor would be the inflated expectations for the Browns themselves. With Cleveland never exactly jumping to a hot start, I think the team (in vain) was hoping Baker could provide a spark like last season. However, as you mentioned, they have one of the league’s best backups, who probably would’ve fared better in the second half of the season
Pickett sucks.
I didn’t think scouts for professional football teams were permitted to post opinions on sites like this.
Brees, Wilson, Murray, Jackson are a few guys as tall as Mayfield. Mayfield is not a running quarterback but he’s not a pocket passer either. He’s at his best rolling out but with the injuries that he had this year he couldn’t do that. I’m not 100% sold on Mayfield but I know he’s a better quarterback than he was last year. Get him a few WR’s and hopefully the team is healthier than last year and the Browns will be back in the playoffs next year
I am a Browns fan who both has doubts yet in spite of this knows somehow that if Cleveland moves in from him they’ll watch him succeed elsewhere while once again drafting bust after busy for the next 20 years. Get him healthy, stop listening to the media say he’s a game manager and let him throw the damn ball because that’s exactly what you’ll do with a draft pick in place of someone who’s proven he can win and can throw.
As a former pitcher who underwent labrum surgery, I was shocked to see such a brief recovery period, but that makes sense now that it says it’s his left shoulder. He should be able to make a full recovery. It will be interesting to see how he performs in Year 5. His 3rd year had Browns’ fan excited about the future, but last year was two steps back. Mayfield’s future as a starting QB in the NFL will be determined in 2022. I’m still not sold on him, but I wouldn’t be completely shocked if he has a career year in 2022.
I wonder if the Browns front office ever considered drafting Josh Allen over Mayfield? Had they done so, I’m guessing the last 3 seasons would have been much better for the Brownies. At least they didn’t opt for Darnold over Mayfield.
Darnold looks like the second coming of Brady compared to Manziel and Kizer who the Browns drafted.
I dunno. I don’t think Allen would have turned this way with most coaching staffs. I think that Buffalo managed him fittingly for his needs. There’s no guarantee…maybe Mayfield would be a Super Bowl champion if drafted by Kansas City or New England. We never know how the staff or team makeup will affect a guy’s development.
Baker sucks and asking as he stays as the starting QB the browns will remain the browns.
Just compare the numbers
Baker since entering the league is 30-30 wins against loses, and 92-56 TDs against INTs.
Mitch Tribisky is 34-23 and 64-36
Carson Wentz is 44-40-1 and 140-57
Jacoby Brissett is 28-32 and 37-17
Tua Taglovailoa is 13-8 and 27-15
The most similar has to be Mitch Tribisky. Drafted only 1 year apart, Tribusky made the pro bowl, went to the playoffs twice, then didn’t get an extension. He is now a back up who threw the ball 8 times this year….
He has more career wins and less career loses, basically the same TD to INTs ratio just in less volume. Yes he’s thrown less yards over his career but this passer rating is basically the same, Tribisky has a better completion percentage and has twice as many risking yards for nearly twice as many TDs.
Browns have a pretty loaded roster and finally a decent coach. Baker is not your guy unless you want to stay a .500 team always just outside the playoffs.
You should be pushing hard for either Derek Carr or Russell Wilson. Look at what Carr did this year with a average running game, poor receivers, a poor o line and an average at best defence.
Wilson he looks like he could be on the way out. He has a super bowl to his name, born in Ohio, made the playoffs in all but two of his years. Can run it, can go short can go over the top, is a leader. Everything you want in a QB.
I like how you conviently forgot to mention Joe Burrow won loss record. Mayfield inherited a team that was 1-31 the 2 years prior to him arriving. Last year was the first year that the Browns actually had the talent and coaches and Mayfield was 12-6. This year he was beat up as was the whole team. I’m not 100% sold on Mayfield but to have inherited a 1-31 team and get them to the playoffs and have a career. 500 record shows that he has something. Give him one more year and see what happens
You can’t hang a career W/L record on a QB who was coached by Kitchens for a year, and in the past has played on some squads absent much talent.
You will never be able to include Baker Mayfeild in the same sentence as Mahomes , Herbert , Burrow , Allen or Jackson. They are the next round of Brees, Brady , Wilson , Rodgers ….
I would keep looking for someone else .,, if the Browns truly want to compete .. they know this. Times have changed , you can’t win with Trent Dilfer anymore. Garrapalo or Tanehill won’t wine this year …
Everyone talks about the Browns having a loaded roster. Sorry , I don’t see it. Good running game strong on both lines but QB is average , WR , TE are average. Some decent pieces in the secondary but “ loaded” as many people say … I don’t see it.
5 pro bowl players for a team with a losing record shows they have talent
All teams have talent. I don’t dispute they have talent. In fact , probably a top 12 roster but “ loaded”. Rams, Packers , Chiefs are loaded if any.
The Colts were considered even more loaded with 7 pro bowlers to the Browns 5 yet neither team made the playoffs. The AFC Pro Bowl roster has 24 players from non playoff teams so maybe being “loaded” is overrated.