by Baker Mayfield
Mayfield set a Cleveland Browns rookie record with 27 touchdown passes and went 6-7 as a starter. You can realistically give him the win for the Thursday Night Week 3 win over the Jets that stopped a long losing streak, as he checked into a game they were losing 10-0. Admittedly, he had some struggles his second season with Freddie Kitchen and OBJ providing several distractions. He still started every game and threw for 22 touchdowns and nearly 4,000 yards. In 2020, with a legitimate head coach in Stefanski, Mayfield led them to their first playoff season in 18 years, complete with a playoff road win at Pittsburgh and a nail biting loss at Kansas City.
The following season he got hurt Week Four at Minnesota after leading the Browns to a 3-1 hot start. The Browns made the mistake of not resting him, and instead, the season tanked quickly as they lost their next 8 of 13 games and missed the playoffs. Mayfield missed 3 games but was never the same. Weeks after the season, Haslam had to be the “smartest guy in the room”, and mortgage the future for the troubled Watson who has never been worth what they paid.
