Replacing Baker Mayfield: Poll

[Triplethreat]

If you really think Baker Mayfield would be a 100% good soldier and play his absolute best football if the Browns showed a public lack of faith in him as their no questions asked starting franchise QB by adding his potential/probable successor to the organization, then you're much more naive than you routinely act.

It won't work.

Baker has always performed his best under pressure or with a chip on his shoulder... so yeah, saying here you have to beat this guy would likely bring out the best in him.

 

[Los216]

Baker has always performed his best under pressure or with a chip on his shoulder... so yeah, saying here you have to beat this guy would likely bring out the best in him.

This is quickly becoming a myth. Baker rarely rises to the occasion late in games. Was there not pressure headed into this season to win? Did we not have high expectations? How many different chips has Baker had on his shoulder this season? Like 6?

 

[Triplethreat]

This is quickly becoming a myth. Baker rarely rises to the occasion late in games. Was there not pressure headed into this season to win? Did we not have high expectations? How many different chips has Baker had on his shoulder this season? Like 6?

Bro I get that you have the biggest Baker Mayfield vendetta out there you don't gotta keep pushing it on me.

 

[CBBI]

Baker has always performed his best under pressure or with a chip on his shoulder... so yeah, saying here you have to beat this guy would likely bring out the best in him.

This idea of "Baker is at his best when he plays with a chip on his shoulder and nobody believes in him!" is much more folklore than actual reality.

The dude won the Heisman trophy and was the No. 1 overall draft pick for christ's sake. He's been the no questions asked starting franchise QB under *four different head coaches*. He hasn't been an actual underdog in half a decade or longer.

 

[Los216]

Bro I get that you have the biggest Baker Mayfield vendetta out there you don't gotta keep pushing it on me.

I'm trying to figure out how Baker performs better with chips on his shoulders

 

[The Oi]

Its still real to me dammit.

 

[Selby]

All of this posturing for a mediocre QB is sending me. Personally I think Baker has already lost the locker room. If he doesn't absolutely ball out these last 5 games you cannot bring him back.

I mean, contractually we kinda have to bring him back. Unless you're proposing the Browns do something reckless and cut him just to have $18 million in dead cap. And don't give me the trading for Wilson or Rodgers stuff - that is a pipe dream.

There is a very very good chance he is on our roster next year for a number of reasons. He hasn't played well this year, but we have to do our due diligence and see if the injury really did cause this much of an impact to his play this season. We have to be responsible from a financial standpoint too. That fifth-year option makes it very difficult to just move on from him after this season.

 

[Vee-Rex]

I mean, contractually we kinda have to bring him back. Unless you're proposing the Browns do something reckless and cut him just to have $18 million in dead cap. And don't give me the trading for Wilson or Rodgers stuff - that is a pipe dream.

There is a very very good chance he is on our roster next year for a number of reasons. He hasn't played well this year, but we have to do our due diligence and see if the injury really did cause this much of an impact to his play this season. We have to be responsible from a financial standpoint too. That fifth-year option makes it very difficult to just move on from him after this season.

Whether or not it makes organizational or financial sense is irrelevant for people with an agenda.

 

[Los216]

I mean, contractually we kinda have to bring him back. Unless you're proposing the Browns do something reckless and cut him just to have $18 million in dead cap. And don't give me the trading for Wilson or Rodgers stuff - that is a pipe dream.

There is a very very good chance he is on our roster next year for a number of reasons. He hasn't played well this year, but we have to do our due diligence and see if the injury really did cause this much of an impact to his play this season. We have to be responsible from a financial standpoint too. That fifth-year option makes it very difficult to just move on from him after this season.

What injury are we talking about? Are we saying an injury to his non-throwing shoulder is the cause of all of this terrible play when we've seen him play well with the injury too?

 

[Los216]

Whether or not it makes organizational or financial sense is irrelevant for people with an agenda.

If there's any agenda it's people being tied to a mediocre QB that is holding back this roster.

I've heard that we need to re-evaluate the play calling, the tackles, the DC, the entire WR room, and more all to excuse below average QB play.

How about we just upgrade the QB position?

 

[ShawnKempIsMyDad]

If there's any agenda it's people being tied to a mediocre QB that is holding back this roster.

I've heard that we need to re-evaluate the play calling, the tackles, the DC, the entire WR room, and more all to excuse below average QB play.

How about we just upgrade the QB position?

Agreed. The problem is that it isn't that easy. What's the plan? How are we going to do that?

 

[Los216]

Agreed. The problem is that it isn't that easy. What's the plan? How are we going to do that?

I think it will be fairly easily to be honest. Baker is only guaranteed $18M next season. It's not like we're trying to trade John Wall's contract or something like that. This upcoming QB class is not one where it's impossible to trade up and get your guy. I don't think it's gonna take a ransom to get any of the top QB's.

There will be plenty of veteran QB's to choose from in the offseason too.

The only reason why moving on from Baker this offseason seems difficult for some people to process is because they are stuck on the idea of what Baker should be and not the reality on what Baker is. He is average. Remove his name, moxie, commercials, etc and what do you have? An average QB. We're simply moving on from an average QB. I don't think it's much more than that.

 

[Huber.]

Next years QB room
Mayfield
Tebow
Kaepernick
Manziel

comeback szn

 

[WellYouNeednt]

Next years QB room
Mayfield
Tebow
Kaepernick
Manziel

comeback szn

Dont forget Cam Newton, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Mitchell Trubisky, Nick Foles, Teddy Bridgewater and Matt Ryan.

Browns will be the first NFL team to carry 10 QBs!

 

[Scrote Squad]

Drafting a QB in the top 50 picks and not starting him immediately is a recipe for disaster IMO. The fans, the players and specifically Baker knows that a team isn't drafting a guy that early without the expectation that he becomes the starter eventually (if not immediately).

Baker will get booed off the field with every incompletion if the fans think there's a better option on the bench (and I'm not saying a 2nd round rookie would be a better option, but the perception would absolutely be "this guy can't be worse!" if Baker struggled). Hell, the fans are already restless this year and friggin completely washed Keenum is the guy who would be replacing Baker.

And this shift would happen immediately, like drive 1 of week 1. Mayfield would have to play great from the jump or the fans would absolutely turn on him and things would blow up IMO.

We just saw this play out with Eagles and Wentz. They drafted Hurts and the fans were immediately clamoring for him as Wentz played progressively more and more like crap. The Eagles had a horrible season and ended up firing their coach over it too.

If Baker is the best option for the Browns at QB for 2022, then there needs to be no competition. Put the full support of the organization behind him and roll the dice that his injuries are the reason he's struggled this year. If he stays healthy and he still fails, then you just move on after next season.

I don't know that I disagree with what might be the outcome of this hypothetical scenario, but it's pretty pathetic if it were to play out that way.

Baker has had every opportunity to seize complete and total control of the job. The fact that he hasn't done so to the point we're discussing alternatives is really on him.

If he can't be a mature professional because he has competition, I'm not sure why we want to move forward with him at all. Accepting that diva-ish behavior is reserved for athletes whose talent makes it worth it. Baker isn't that.

It's utterly ridiculous that the FO might not be able to explore all avenues to improve the position because of the fragile psyche of #6.