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Cleveland Browns 2021 Regular Season: RIP

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I cannot get my head around the idea that Kevin Stefanski believed any of the stuff he would routinely parrot to the media about Baker's health. "He gives us the best possible chance of winning games" etc. These soundbites were given without any conviction or sincerity whatsoever.

There was one very telling visual from the Week 17 game where yet again Baker imploded on 3rd down, stared down two open receivers right in front of him, double pumped and then took a particularly ugly slow-motion sack. The broadcast cut to Stefanski who just just looked up at the sky, presumably thinking the Ivy League equivalent of "This fucking guy" and began to cross out huge swathes of his play sheet.

If Stefanski has any meaningful input on the immediate future of the QB position it is clear he has practically zero faith in Mayfield ever being successful at the helm of his version of a modern NFL passing attack. I think he regards Mayfield as being a hugely limiting presence with regard to that attack actually evolving.

The stuff about Baker being the starter going forward is likely mere window dressing. The organisation is not going to say publicly at this point that they intend to go in another direction. That would be hugely counterproductive as a negotiating position, both in terms of acquiring a replacement and dealing what they currently have.

I'm not quite as low on Mayfield as many of you in here. I think he still has some very qualified upside as a player. After the huge difficulties of last season—and we can only guess at quite how strained everything was behind the scenes for long stretches—I think a fresh start for Baker somewhere else is probably needed. I listened with interest to the Trent Dilfer comments about the relative skillsets of Burrow and Baker and the need for Mayfield to get back to who he actually is as a player. I don't necessarily know if Cleveland under KS is that place.

Having said all of that the idea of Trubisky, Bridgewater or Mariota coming here is a bit depressing. Anyone better than those types of players would need a lot of convincing to sign though.
 
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I actually think that Mullens might be the better QB at this point than Keenum. I just see zero reasons to keep Keenum.

Keenum is likely out to save some cap in 22... He will either restructure or be cut... I am okay with Mullens as the backup depending on the price... I think Trubisky on paper may be better though.

I am not the only one who said it, multiple announcers including Brian Griese, that the injury to Mayfields shoulder does have significant pain and was a big reason for his INT issues... Griese would know better than anyone here when it comes to being a QB in the NFL

Now that also being said. We have seen Mayfield be good and bad in spurts so he does need to get consistent and we don't know exactly the issues between Mayfield and Odell but there had to be something there. They never got chemistry with one another and that hurts the team at the end of the day.

So in 22, we have to bring in competition for Mayfield, but try and go under the radar as much as possible with it since the Cleveland media just seems to call for any QBs head if they throw a single bad pass regardless. They FO/coaches needs to say to Mayfield, the injuries of 21 happen, but now you need to prove it or someone will take your job.

Also Stef needs to grow as a head coach. He made some mistakes as a leader and playcaller. He hasn't lost the locker room, but it sounds like he didn't get it to gel 100% either. Sound like the media is spinning the Odell situation to be worse than it really is (anyone surprised by that one?) But the Coaches need to figure out how to limit something like that from happening again in the way it did.

@CBBI

I still honestly feel like you are being way to harsh on Mayfield, but neither of us know who is right until we see season 22 play out... my guess is 20 Beckham is back in 22, but at the current moment being on opposite sides of things in a sense, we won't know whose right until the season ends in 22.

@Scrote Squad

If Mayfield cannot handle comp being brought in then he isnt one who is going to make it in the NFL. Most pro leagues are what have you done for me lately. You cannot keep a player who isn't producing. I want competition brought in for Mayfield to see how he handles it and the media in 22. I wish Grossi and MKC would move on from being Cleveland writers, but for Mayfield to succeed career wise, he has to fix his mechanics that got messed up, deal with the competition and the media. He has to show he has grown or he is out. Bring in the competition!
 
I cannot get my head around the idea that Kevin Stefanski believed any of the stuff he would routinely parrot to the media about Baker's health. "He gives us the best possible chance of winning games" etc. These soundbites were given without any conviction or sincerity whatsoever.

There was one very telling visual from the Week 17 game where yet again Baker imploded on 3rd down, stared down two open receivers right in front of him, double pumped and then took a particularly ugly slow-motion sack. The broadcast cut to Stefanski who just just looked up at the sky, presumably thinking the Ivy League equivalent of "This fucking guy" and began to cross out huge swathes of his play sheet.

If Stefanski has any meaningful input on the immediate future of the QB position it is clear he has practically zero faith in Mayfield ever being successful at the helm of his version of a modern NFL passing attack. I think he regards Mayfield as being a hugely limiting presence with regard to that attack actually evolving.

The stuff about Baker being the starter going forward is likely mere window dressing. The organisation is not going to say publicly at this point that they intend to go in another direction. That would be hugely counterproductive as a negotiating position, both in terms of acquiring a replacement and dealing what they currently have.

I'm not quite as low on Mayfield as many of you in here. I think he still has some very qualified upside as a player. After the huge difficulties of last season—and we can only guess at quite how strained everything was behind the scenes for huge stretches—I think a fresh start for Baker somewhere else is probably needed. I listened with interest to the Trent Dilfer comments about the relative skillsets of Burrow and Baker and the need for Mayfield to get back to who he actually is as a player. I don't necessarily know if Cleveland under KS is that place.

Having said all of that the idea of Trubisky, Bridgewater or Mariota coming here is a bit depressing. Anyone better than those types of players would need a lot of convincing to sign though.
so you are saying you believe the FO forced Stefanski to play an injured Baker?
 
He is! That's my point! The Browns had a shitty backup QB who was no threat to Baker's job and when called upon, he won both of his starts.

This idea that the Browns need to bring in someone who can "push" Baker - coming off the year that he had and with his possible impending lame duck contract status - just brings more potential problems than it does benefits IMO.

The Browns don't need a better backup QB. They need better play out of their starting QB for goodness sake.
You must not have read what I posted. I never said we need to bring in someone to PUSH Baker.

When the head coach is so afraid to play the back-up quarterback that he instead chooses to trot out his torn labrum, fractured humerus, injured heel, injured groin guy that is limping badly, can't see receivers, can't hit open receivers guy... then it is clearly time to upgrade the back-up.

It's not just the right of an organization, it is an obligation of the organization to bring in a playable back-up to the most important position on the field.

You have written about a hundred pages of opinions and stats saying Mayfield is not and never will be good enough. You all but guaranteed that the team would move on. Now the HC and GM are indicating you were wrong, so you shift your opinion to say that they are don't really mean what they said, they're just protecting their bargaining position. That may or may not be true, we'll see.

But it's beyond ridiculous for you to say they absolutely can not upgrade the back-up so they don't injure Baker's ultra-fragile psyche. If you think they believe this and do business like this you must have a very low opinion of Berry and KS.

But hey, whatever it takes to keep your little narrative intact, right?
 
It's Baker or bust! No backup to distract him, bruise his ego, or win meaningless games.

We're behind ye, big fella, to where'er ye may lead.
 
You must not have read what I posted. I never said we need to bring in someone to PUSH Baker.

When the head coach is so afraid to play the back-up quarterback that he instead chooses to trot out his torn labrum, fractured humerus, injured heel, injured groin guy that is limping badly, can't see receivers, can't hit open receivers guy... then it is clearly time to upgrade the back-up.

It's not just the right of an organization, it is an obligation of the organization to bring in a playable back-up to the most important position on the field.

You have written about a hundred pages of opinions and stats saying Mayfield is not and never will be good enough. You all but guaranteed that the team would move on. Now the HC and GM are indicating you were wrong, so you shift your opinion to say that they are don't really mean what they said, they're just protecting their bargaining position. That may or may not be true, we'll see.

But it's beyond ridiculous for you to say they absolutely can not upgrade the back-up so they don't injure Baker's ultra-fragile psyche. If you think they believe this and do business like this you must have a very low opinion of Berry and KS.

But hey, whatever it takes to keep your little narrative intact, right?

:chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: take it easy tough guy.

If I misunderstood you on the backup bit, that's on me.

All I'm saying is that if the Browns do end up having to go with Baker as their starting QB in 2022, that it would be a mistake to bring in another QB for any role other than "you're going to hold the clipboard and only play if Baker physically cannot" - basically the same role Keenum filled this year.

They need to be all in on Baker as the starter because his attitude and lame duck contract status would make it quite easy for him to cause issues in the locker room if things went south. These are the kind of issues that IMO could implode the whole season.

A lot of other folks on the board have suggested that the Browns should essentially hedge their potential Baker bet with someone who could *replace* Baker. I apologize for mistakenly pigeonholing you into their takes.
 
WTF does cohesion between the offense and defense mean? Defense focusing on defense and offense focusing on offense is a problem?

Sounds like the real issue is each side of the ball blaming the other for problems. If so, why no hate for special teams?
I think you found the solution. Both sides of the ball united against our special teams travesty.
 

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