What Does 2021 Have in Store for Baker?

Author: Max Greenberg

Editor: Mark Awadallah

Baker Mayfield is entering what seems to be a crossroads year in 2021. The former first overall pick has struggled with consistency since entering the NFL in 2018, and his performance this year could dictate his future on the Cleveland Browns. But last year’s finish to the season showed that Mayfield is growing and is on the right track to live up to the hype around him. 2020 was the first year he had the opportunity to work with a coaching staff that knew what they were doing, and a team that was dialed in, which allowed us to catch a glimpse of just what he is capable of. So, the questions are why was he so much better later in the season, and why should that performance inspire confidence when his overall consistency is still an issue? Well think about it this way, in Mayfield’s previous three seasons in the NFL, he dealt with three different head coaches, and consequently, three different offensive lines, and that is not exactly an ideal scenario for a quarterback, especially in his first three years. To add to this, 2020 was the year of COVID, in which teams were not allowed to meet in the offseason, there was no preseason, and the only practice they had before the regular season was training camp. All of this compounded inevitably meant Mayfield and the Browns offense had to deal with chemistry issues at the beginning of the regular season. Once those issues were eventually fixed, his performance skyrocketed, and a big reason for that is throwing deep balls he did not throw earlier in the year. Mayfield gained more confidence in his teammates and the system as time went on, and we could see the drastic difference it made.

Potentially more important than any of that, however, is that his attitude and maturity seemed to improve in 2020. In 2019, the Browns were arguably the biggest disappointment in the league, and Mayfield’s inability to shut his mouth only added to what a mess the team was. In 2020, he kept his head down and focused on playing and improving himself as a quarterback. It goes without saying that the team culture and record contributed to this, but as the team’s quarterback, other players will follow his example, and seeing him be a better leader also contributed to the team’s much improved culture. It was especially refreshing to see the Browns upend an arrogant Pittsburgh Steelers team in the playoffs. Mayfield and company were the quiet ones going into that game, and instead of being shut up, they managed to shut their opponent up by embarrassing them on home turf.

Now, similar things were said about Mayfield going into the 2019 season, but the Browns and their fans have reason to be more optimistic than ever this year. Unlike years past, they have stability and pieces that have proven to be effective together. Mayfield has everything he needs at his disposal, such as a sturdy offensive line, an elite receiving core, one of the best backfield headlines by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and most importantly, a great offensive head coach. Not to mention that Odell Beckham Jr. is returning to full health, and Donovan Peoples-Jones, who Mayfield gained chemistry with last year, is bound to keep improving. Last year was the first time Mayfield had a real chance to be successful, and he absolutely made the most of it. With an even better situation so far this year, Browns fans have every reason to be confident in their signal caller, which is something they have not been able to feel in what seems like an eternity.

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