Being selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 1 Pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, Baker Mayfield’s fate is no longer a mystery. Expected to receive a ~$22M signing bonus, the former Oklahoma Sooner quarterback is set to make $33M on a rookie contract. Investing quite a bit of cash into a player who has yet to throw a pass in the NFL, a divide occurred. Should the Browns start Mayfield over Tyrod Taylor come fall?
You can catch our discussion during the podcast over the topic as well!
3 Reasons Mayfield Doesn’t Start As A Rookie
John Dorsey’s Mindset
Baker Mayfield ran a no-huddle, hurry-up offense at the University of Oklahoma with much success. However, that means the Heisman winner rarely took snaps under center and rarely found himself commanding a huddle. Secondarily, Mayfield rarely stepped up to point out defensive schemes and call an audible. All of that is an expectation at the professional level, calling for a drastic change of style for the former collegiate star.
John Dorsey previously stated that college athletes “play football.” What does that mean? It leans heavily toward the notion that college athlete must “learn football” once they enter the pros and General Manager of the Browns isn’t wrong. Think of how many have come before Mayfield with the tool to be successful and failed.
The Browns are hoping to avoid past mistakes. It’s why they traded for Tyrod Taylor, a veteran quarterback who should start the 2018 season. When Taylor trots out for the first time, Cleveland is saying, “we’re giving Baker a chance to ‘learn football’ before feeding him to the wolves.
Cleveland Must Protect Their Investment
Currently sporting a 4-44 record over the past three seasons — yes, you read that right — Cleveland is in desperate need of help. Eyes quickly turn to the offensive line as questions abound after Pro Bowler, Joe Thomas decided to retire. Attempting to restructure the unit is no small task as it takes cohesiveness that only comes with experience.
As mentioned above, the Browns are expected to invest $33M in Mayfield over the course of his rookie contract. Tossing out that kind of money is nothing to be scoffed at especially when you’re hoping for a return on the investment. The return goes out the window when Mayfield suffers an injury from a blitzing linebacker looking to welcome the rookie to the league — with the kid’s play style, that’s a possibility.
If the injury changes Mayfield from the type of playmaker he can be, the Browns will likely be looking for another quarterback in the 2019 NFL Draft. The wise decision is to protect the investment being made for hope of a future return in several years.
The Browns Gain Nothing
Lastly, the number of seats occupied by fans inside FirstEnergy Stadium doesn’t matter. The NFL currently uses a profit share system that distributed the $7.8B evenly amongst all 32 franchises. Aside from ending the losing streak, the Browns gain nothing for starting Mayfield at the quarterback position. The rookie will not lead them to the playoffs, much less the Super Bowl, in his first year under center.
Unless you present a better argument, I again state, “THE BROWNS GAIN NOTHING” from starting Mayfield on day one.
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