Cleveland Browns: Young playmakers are coming into their own

The Cleveland Browns have a trio of playmakers on offense that are all 22 years old or younger. We take a look at how they have grown over the last 3 games.

The Cleveland Browns seem to have flipped a switch over the last three games. Baker Mayfield has garnered the lion share of credit for the recent improvement, and rightly so. The only quarterback to be more efficient than Mayfield over that stretch is Drew Brees. To put that in perspective Brees is 39 years old and Mayfield is only 23.

What should be even scarier to the rest of the league is that Mayfield’s primary weapons are all younger than him. Nick Chubb (22), David Njoku (22), and Antonio Callaway (21) have all been key ingredients to Mayfield’s and the Browns success over this three-game stretch.

It usually takes younger players some time to adapt to the league, but with Mayfield leading the charge his playmakers seem to be finding their footing rather quickly. Let’s take a look at how these players have grown with Baker over the last three games.

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There is no denying that Nick Chubb is a special ball carrier. He has been a workhorse since taking over as the primary back and has averaged 5.4 yards per carry this season. His ability to run the ball has given the Browns a solid base to run their offense from.

But what has been the most surprising over the last three games is how effective Chubb has been in the passing game. Chubb has caught all seven of his targets for 82 yards and two touchdowns over that span. His last touchdown reception was a truly spectacular circus catch that demonstrated how good the rookie’s hands and concentration are. Not too bad for a player who was thought to be just a pure running back only a month ago.

There was plenty of hype surrounding second-year tight end David Njoku entering this season. Even though Njoku amassed over 50 receiving yards in four of his previous eight games, his season was riddled with untimely drops. The last of those eight games he wasn’t even targeted. There was some speculation that Mayfield had lost confidence in his tight end.

Njoku has responded with 10 catches on 11 targets for 134 yards and a touch down over the last three games. Many of his catches have been tight window throws from Mayfield. If Njoku can continue his recent uptick in efficiency expect to see him in the end zone more frequently.

From the moment Antonio Callaway was drafted by the Browns in the fourth round the selection has been questioned. Callaway’s talent has never been in question, but literally, everything else about the 21-year-old has been. He has shown flashes of his playmaking ability at several points this season, but he has easily been the most inconsistent player on the roster.

It appears a light has gone off and the game is slowing down for the rookie. Callaway has led the Browns in receiving over the last three games. He has hauled in 9 catches on 12 targets for 152 yards and a touchdown. The Browns have even rewarded the talented wide receiver some reps at punt returner. He finally appears to have knocked the rust off from not playing his final season at the University of Florida.

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As long as these young Browns are able to keep building on the momentum they have created, there is no reason to think they can’t reach elite status in the immediate future. This is how championship teams are built. You find your franchise quarterback, surround him with young talent, and let them grow together. The Cleveland Browns are officially in their infancy of greatness.

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