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5 Bold predictions for Cleveland Browns 2021 season ahead of training camp

By Randy Gurzi

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 13: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns prepares to call for the snap against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 13: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns prepares to call for the snap against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Browns
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 10: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns attempts a handoff to Nick Chubb #24 during the first half of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on January 10, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

2. Baker, Ward, and Chubb all play without extensions

While Wyatt Teller could be locked up before the season begins, the same will likely not happen with Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward, or Nick Chubb. With Mayfield and Ward, this shouldn’t be a huge shock since they both have another season under contract.

Earlier in the offseason, Cleveland picked up the fifth-year option for both players. Surely, they would like to lock them both up — and just like with Wyatt Teller, it would make fiscal sense to do so earlier rather than later. However, there are other issues at play.

For Ward, there are injury concerns. He hasn’t had anything too serious but he has yet to play a full 16-game season and they would probably like to see him do so before giving him premium money.

As for Mayfield, he was fantastic in 2020 but that wasn’t the case in 2019. We could chalk that up to all the coaching changes but the front office would probably like to see two good seasons in a row before backing up the Brinks truck.

That brings us to Chubb, who has 4,134 yards from scrimmage in his first three seasons. He’s one of the best running backs in the game and the most consistent weapon on offense for Cleveland. The problem is, he plays a position that doesn’t get much love from the analytical minds, and Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski fall in that category.

This isn’t to say Chubb won’t eventually be signed, but they won’t be in a hurry to pay a running back, regardless of how good he is.

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