NFL: Predicting the week one starting quarterback for all 32 teams
By Kyle Edmond
Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield.
Baker Mayfield. Where do we begin? Since being the first overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, Mayfield has put together an up-and-down career that could provide the framework for one of the best roller coasters at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio – just over an hour drive west of Cleveland.
A large contingent of the Cleveland media want the Browns to move on. The organization known for their quarterback turnover isn’t satisfied yet. However, there isn’t an option out there this offseason that fits Cleveland’s situation better than Baker.
Mayfield has one more year left on his rookie deal, so Cleveland will get a discounted quarterback for the 2022 season. That gives Mayfield the opportunity to attempt to prove himself once more while the team gets one more season of cheap QB play before having to make a decision for the future.
It’s also worth noting that Mayfield played nearly the entire season with a significant shoulder injury, one that often sidelines players for weeks. Mayfield kept up with Patrick Mahomes in week one of the 2021 season before getting hurt in week two. Don’t be surprised to see him return to his 2020 form and solidify his role as the Browns’ quarterback of the future in 2022.