Cleveland Browns: 5 reasons 2020 season is a success, playoffs or not
By Sam Penix
4. Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield‘s electric rookie season had everyone anointing him as a franchise quarterback, and why not? He was ridiculously accurate and poised in the pocket, and his natural leadership ability shined through in a season marred by infighting and incompetency within the coaching staff. When the Browns added Odell Beckham Jr. in the offseason, huge things were expected out of Mayfield in 2019, but things did not go nearly as planned. Mayfield threw 21 interceptions to 22 touchdowns as Cleveland finished an incredibly disappointing 6-10.
Six games and a quarter into the 2020 season, and Mayfield looked perhaps even worse. 10 touchdowns and six interceptions, including an ugly pick-six to start the Week 6 disaster against Pittsburgh. Then, something changed after Mayfield threw an awful interception against the Cincinnati Bengals that led to Beckham getting hurt. Since then, Mayfield has thrown for 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions, while grading out as Pro Football Focus’s second-best quarterback in the entire NFL in that span.
He’s played well against some quality defenses too, so it’s not like he’s just racking up numbers against third-stringers. He’s gone from having serious doubts about his 2021 season to fans wondering when exactly he’ll be extended. The negative effect that the coaching he received prior to this year cannot be overstated, and now that he’s grown comfortable in this offense, he’s once again proven himself as a franchise quarterback, and that’s why there’s so much optimism around this team moving forward.