Cleveland Browns: Garrett Gilbert ‘beneficial’ to Baker Mayfield’s growth

Garrett Gilbert may only be the Cleveland Browns No. 3 quarterback currently, but that does not mean he has not been valuable to Baker Mayfield.

The Cleveland Browns are not dealing with a quarterback battle during training camp for the first time in several years with Baker Mayfield leading the way. But for Garrett Gilbert, every day seems to be a battle as he tries to prove himself to the Browns coaching staff.

With Mayfield and Drew Stanton ahead of Gilbert on the depth chart, the 28-year-old quarterback is fighting to just make Cleveland’s 53-man roster.

Even though he is on the roster bubble with the Browns, Gilbert has been put into a unique opportunity. Not only is he fighting to make a roster for a team with playoff aspirations, but he is joining somebody he has known since high school with Baker Mayfield.

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Gilbert’s transition to joining the Browns has been helped by having a familiar face in the quarterback room. By already having a connection, it has been easy for the two quarterbacks to help each other continue to grow on the football field.

That has especially been true for Mayfield. Mayfield may already be taking the NFL by storm and has become the face of the Browns franchise, but Gilbert’s presence in the quarterback room has been extremely beneficial for the 24-year-old quarterback – via Scott Patsko of Cleveland.com.

"Gilbert’s experience with multiple offenses has been valuable for Mayfield, just as Drew Stanton’s experience with Kitchens’ offensive background has been valuable.“Just different things, different pointers and they are able to see things that, me in Year 2, it is a new thing for me,” Mayfield said. “It is very beneficial to be able to actually just listen to them and not take it as criticism but just seeing that I do not have the experience that they have.” – Mayfield via Cleveland.com"

Gilbert still may be viewed as a younger quarterback, but his experience with a variety of other NFL quarterbacks and offensive schemes will only help Mayfield. Whether it be how he approaches different situations on the field or how he approaches watching film and studying off the field, Mayfield can continue to grow and develop into an even better quarterback.

What the Browns have done with their quarterback room is surrounded Mayfield with two quarterbacks who have learned plenty of things during their years in the NFL. Instead of having Mayfield learn on the fly during the early part of his career, Gilbert and Stanton are helping Mayfield prepare for any situation that may lie ahead.

The strong quarterback room will also help Gilbert continue to grow as a quarterback. The days of Gilbert potentially becoming a starting quarterback are likely over, which is why he played in the AAF to show off his abilities, but he could still develop into a reliable backup quarterback. That is where Stanton can help Gilbert.

Since entering the NFL in 2007, Stanton has spent most of his career as a backup. He has been with several different coaches and quarterbacks, so he should know how to handle several different situations that may arise. He has already proven to be a good mentor for Mayfield over the past year and a half.

But as he enters the final year of his contract with the Browns and being 35-years-old, Stanton’s days in the NFL may be numbered. So if the Browns want continuity in their quarterback room, Stanton could start grooming Gilbert to be Cleveland’s long-term backup quarterback.

The Browns have done a great job of building a quarterback room that will be competitive, but can also help each other to develop their talents. By bringing Gilbert into the same room as Mayfield, as well as Stanton, it could pay unexpected dividends for the Browns.