5 biggest challenges awaiting the Cleveland Browns in 2021

3. Removing the shackles

Baker Mayfield may have been playing at a league-best level, but the Chiefs didn’t care. They knew that the Browns wide receiver corps, consisting of Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and KhaDarel Hodge, lacked the ability to separate against man coverage or win downfield, even against a middling secondary, and sold out to stop the run, daring Mayfield to win through the air, because they knew he wouldn’t be able to.

Despite his less than ideal targets, Mayfield threw the ball more and more as the season went on, and the offense found success. Since entering the league, Mayfield is statistically one of, if not the most accurate downfield passers in the NFL, so it would be wise to structure the receiver room so as to compliment Mayfield’s strengths.

Adding Beckham and Schwartz helps with that. Beckham is good enough to fix everything, but whether it is smart to rely on that happening remains to be seen. Schwartz will likely have a limited role, and may not be targeted often, but his elite speed must be respected.

And that, combined with Beckham’s game-breaking ability and both David Njoku and Donovan Peoples-Jones ready to take big steps forward, Mayfield should have more targets open downfield this season. He’d better if the team wants to advance further in the playoffs.