5 Reasons Baker Mayfield will be 2021 NFL Most Valuable Player
By Colin Damms
3. The Browns’ arsenal of offensive talent
Things don’t always come together as they’re meant to, but that doesn’t mean you give up on it. Sometimes it takes a little extra to make the pieces fit, and like the Cleveland Browns offense it will be worth it.
Mayfield’s impressive arsenal of offensive weapons features some of the best talent money can buy in the NFL, as well as some of the best bargains. A tight end group of Austin Hooper, David Njoku, and Harrison Bryant is quietly one of the best in the league, and were big time red zone threats for Mayfield last season.
Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry are the headline wide receiver duo, who despite hiccups, injuries, and droughts of form have still been able to produce a number of memorable moments. However, the most important receivers might be the next two up: Rashard Higgins and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Higgins is one of Mayfield’s favorite targets. Sorely missed for most of 2019, he’s reliable for 500+ yards and a handful of touchdowns each season as the third guy up. Peoples-Jones turned into a reliable rotational option as well in his rookie season, with a pair of touchdowns (including the dramatic, late game winner at the Bengals) and 335 yards.
He has real potential to show out this season, and with the team considering life after Beckham and Landry he may get more looks out wide.
It isn’t the flashiest group of targets in the league, but it’s an effective one that Mayfield can reliably share the ball with.
It takes more than just a solid group of receivers too, it takes a solid run game as well, which also offers the threat to receive out of the backfield. In that area the Browns are in very good shape.
Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are two of the most dangerous players with the ball in their hands in the NFL. Chubb recently earned a big payday after 1067 yards and 12 touchdowns, locking down a premier rusher for at least the next 3 years. Last season Hunt got a full year of production in after missing half of 2019 through suspension, and provided an additional 841 yards on the ground and over 300 yards receiving with 5 touchdown receptions. Their playmaking ability doesn’t only give Mayfield another outlet in the passing game, it opens up the playbook and makes life much easier for both coach and quarterback.