Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield exceeding expectations, but be patient

The Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback is having a strong start to training camp, but everybody needs to be patient and let Baker Mayfield develop the way the organization wants him to develop.

Less than a week after the Cleveland Browns opened training camp, the whispers that Baker Mayfield should be starting Week One have already began.

Mayfield struggled in his first appearances in a Cleveland Browns uniform during the team’s spring practices. Coming out of those practices, the reports were that Mayfield seemed confused at times trying to read the defenses.

But even with the confusion, Mayfield’s arm talent was showing. Despite throwing interceptions in multiple practices, he was still accurate with the ball and was delivering crisp passes.

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In the first couple days of training camp, Mayfield is not only showing his arm talent, but he is beginning to look confident reading the defense and making pin-point throws.

With how good Mayfield has looked, it has created the conversations that he should become the team’s starting quarterback sooner rather than later.

The Cleveland Browns organization has been adamant that Tyrod Taylor will be the team’s starting quarterback throughout the entire off-season. Browns head coach Hue Jackson reaffirmed that on Monday – via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

"“Tyrod Taylor is our quarterback. Baker Mayfield is competing and getting better each and every day, still learning the National Football League. He’s done a really nice job of learning our system and improving every day. Tyrod Taylor has too, and so has Drew Stanton. We have a really good room. I’m excited about our room.”"

Mayfield already showing great strides is a tremendous sign for the Browns organization. He is showing that over a few months, he is able to get a good grasp of a complicated playbook and put it together on the field.

But despite Mayfield’s development, the Browns need to stick to their plan and be patient with Mayfield. He is already showing what he can learn in just a few short months with the team. Imagine what Mayfield will be able to put together throughout the season when he does not have to worry about playing.

Later in Cabot’s piece, Jackson said that Mayfield has improved on “the mechanical things that we wanted him to.” The Browns are going to want him to work on more of his mechanics during camp and throughout the season. Given enough time, Mayfield should have cleaned up the rest of the mechanics the Browns would want him to work on at some point during the season.

By not forcing Mayfield to play this season, they can let him focus on a few things to work on at a time, which should let him make those strides faster and let him to move to something else to work on. But if the Browns rush him into starting, he would not have the ability to take things on slowly and instead be rushed through his development.

Besides looking at his mechanics, there also needs to be some caution when looking at what Mayfield has done this camp. Jackson is not giving the rookie that many reps, if any, with the first-team offense. Which means he is playing against the second-team defense. Granted it is still impressive what he has done so far in camp, but who he is playing against should be noted.

There are no questions that Mayfield has tremendous arm talent. He is highly accurate, but delivers those accurate throws with a good amount of zip to the ball. No matter who he is playing against, he is going to show that he has a great arm.

Having a young quarterback that is already showing progress will create a lot of excitement for Browns fans. But in order to get the best out of Mayfield, they need to show patience and not overreact by trying to get him pushed into the starting role too soon.

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With the development he has shown, it should excite Browns fans what Mayfield could do on the field in 2019. If pushed into the starting role too early in 2018, there is a chance Cleveland would not be able to see the player he could have been if everyone had been patient with him.

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