Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson is going all in on his starting quarterback and it isn’t rookie Baker Mayfield. On Sunday Jackson announced veteran Tyrod Taylor as his starter going into the 2018 season.
Cleveland, We just getting started.. pic.twitter.com/181pxx5jhM
— Tyrod Taylor (@TyrodTaylor) April 25, 2018
“I’m not going to back off of this,” Jackson said, per Cleveland.com. “We can keep writing this narrative, Tyrod Taylor’s the starting quarterback of this football team, and that won’t change.”
#Browns No. 1 Baker Mayfield on a deep ball vs. No. 4 Denzel Ward pic.twitter.com/OoBHdDXs76
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) May 4, 2018
Despite an impressive opening to the Browns rookie camp, Jackson says that Mayfield is the future but Taylor is the present.
“He (Mayfield) has a lot of characteristics that we love. That’s why he’s here. (But) let’s make sure we pump our brakes a little bit, because he’s got a ways to go and a lot to learn,” Jackson said. “I’m very excited about him. It was a good first day, but he’s got a ways to go. The guy you’re comparing him to (Tyrod Taylor) has played a lot of games, and won games in the National Football League.”
Taylor started 43 games and played in 44, posting an impressive 51-16 touchdown-interception ratio in Buffalo. The Browns acquired him in March (for a third round pick) and plan to use him as a bridge to Mayfield once he’s ready.
“Tyrod has demonstrated every day what it’s like to be a starting quarterback in the National Football League,” Jackson said. “I want some of that to rub off on (Mayfield) so he can see firsthand what it means to play quarterback in the National Football League. Baker doesn’t know. … The thing I like about the young man, he’s going to do the work. I truly believe that.”
QB @bakermayfield hammering away at working under center
📰 » https://t.co/Pi58WPTXVz pic.twitter.com/egoNLq4TVC
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) May 5, 2018
One of the biggest adjustments for Mayfield will be moving under center in the NFL. A situation that he rarely found himself in during his collegiate career, the Heisman winner will be expected to take a whole lot more snaps from under center rather than the shotgun. Jackson hinted that was where Baker has to make strides to improve in.
“Baker, he’s working at it,” Jackson said. “He made some really good throws. Obviously, he displayed he can throw the football. There’s some things we’ve got to clean up. Can’t have the ball on the ground as much. Him and the center, that’s something as I said before that he’s just got to get used to. We’ll work through that, and he’s going to work at it like you can see him right now staying after working at that.”