Baker Mayfield developing into Cleveland Browns franchise QB

Baker’s Journey

Nothing for the Cleveland Browns is easy. Why should developing a quarterback be easy? Or even conventional?

Only one quarterback (that I am aware of) has successfully come out of an Air Raid collegiate offense to start in the NFL. That one player took an entire year to sit behind the incumbent starter before starting his second year. That quarterback? That man is Patrick Mahomes.

Baker Mayfield is on his way to becoming the second NFL quarterback to be successful in the NFL after coming out of an Air Raid college system. For those of you who don’t know how different the Air Raid system is from an NFL offense, take the time to find out. The Air Raid system is night and day different from Pro Style offenses.

Mayfield came in his rookie year and played well. He also played like he was still in an Air Raid system. He looked for the deep reads first. He looked to force the ball into the seams. In doing so, he set a record for touchdown passes in a rookie season.

But NFL defenses caught up his second year. They began disguising coverages to make people look open pre-snap that they took away post-snap. Unfortunately, his less than All-Star coaching staff starting with former head coach Freddie Kitchens didn’t do much to teach Baker how to negotiate disguised coverages or how to read defenses to find the open player.

Heading into his third year, Mayfield got his fourth different head coach. He inherited his third different offense. He also (like the rest of the league) was not given a full offseason to learn the offense and prepare for the season.

Yet, somehow he has managed to find a way to progress as a player. He is learning now what a normal offseason might have taught him in training camp. But the point is he is progressing. He is getting better. But some would want to get rid of Baker because he is not perfect right now.