Baker Mayfield is the best quarterback in the AFC North

The torch has officially been passed

It would have been very difficult to believe at this time last year, but Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is officially the best signal-caller in the AFC North. O

ne game doesn’t give Mayfield that title, but he certainly let everyone know with his heroic performance on Monday Night Football. Let’s rank all four starters in the division and see how Mayfield compares to his rivals.

4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

A year from now, assuming he heals from his devastating knee injury with minimal long-term effects, Burrow will likely be second on this list. Before he got hurt, the Bengals weren’t winning, and his stats didn’t look great, but the Browns got two extended looks at what he could do. It remains to be seen how high his ceiling is given his average arm strength, but he’s incredibly accurate, smart with the football, and poised in a pocket despite playing behind a terrible offensive line.

The Bengals have no one to blame but themselves for Burrow’s injury, as they put almost zero effort into improving their line this offseason, with their best try being a sixth-round developmental draft pick. Apparently, they’ve never heard about Tim Couch, David Carr, and other promising young passers ruined by their own lack of a line.

Burrow will be a formidable opponent for the next decade-plus, which will bring about mixed emotions given his ties to the Cleveland area and childhood fandom of the Browns. There are bound to be plenty of epic duels between him and Mayfield in the future, which is definitely something to look forward to.