Five 2021 NFL Draft QBs to consider if Cleveland Browns pull plug on Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield may no longer be the Cleveland Browns guy

Through nine games in the 2020 season, Baker Mayfield hasn’t exactly imbued confidence in his long-term prospects, despite leading the Cleveland Browns to a 6-3 record. He has seven games left to prove he’s worthy of his $26 million-plus fifth-year option, and in order to do that, he’ll have to improve his decision-making, accuracy, and consistency, things that have plagued him for the past two seasons outside of three quarters against the Cincinnati Bengals. No one should be advocating for his replacement, and perhaps he’ll go on a tear these final seven weeks and prove that he’s a franchise QB.

For now, the Browns have to at least entertain the idea of moving on from Mayfield this offseason, if given the opportunity. The 2021 quarterback class is headlined by two elite prospects in Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields, neither of which Cleveland has any shot at landing. However, the rest of the class is shaping up quite nicely, and there are five names, in particular, to watch if Cleveland were to commit to a new signal-caller.

Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati

Dual-threat QBs are the new prototype in today’s game, and Desmond Ridder, while he needs plenty of work, fits the mold. He has the Bearcats at 7-0, and in the top 10 of the AP poll for the first time in a long time. He’s 6-4 215 pounds with a strong arm and very good running ability.

He’s shown accuracy to all levels of the field and throws well on the move. It would be very interesting to see what Kevin Stefanski could do with a QB with the skillset of Ridder. Ridder seems like he’ll end up as a Day 2 pick, so the Browns would roll with Mayfield for 2021 while giving Ridder time to sit and learn before taking over in 2022.