Is there really a rift between Baker Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski?

What can fix things with Baker Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski?

Mayfield himself claimed this entire rift was “clickbait,” but what we should have learned from the OBJ drama that we pretended wasn’t there is this: Where there is smoke, there is always fire. The question is whether or not it can be fixed.

Sure, it’s easy to talk about the problem, it’s another to fix it. Mayfield and Stefanski both seem like reasonable guys, and I think there are enough solutions to get this problem solved and both be a part of the 2022 team.

The first thing that needs to happen, Kevin Stefanski needs to give up play-calling. It’s hard enough to manage an NFL team on a Sunday, add play calling to that and you just lose focus on other things. I would argue there were some questionable time management situations throughout 2021 that may not have happened if Stefanski had more focus on it.

Let’s not forget that Alex Van Pelt is more than capable to call plays, and he may be the preferred option for Mayfield.

For the love of all things, please give the right tackle some help when we play the Steelers next year. I don’t care if it’s Jack Conklin in there, T.J. Watt has been as big of a Cleveland Browns beater as Ben Roethlisberger and I’m sick of watching it. Mayfield was critical of the blocking strategy after the game on Monday night and I don’t blame him for this one.

The last and most important piece to fix these issues is upgrading the wide receiver position. Trust me, Mayfield missed plenty of open targets this season, but that room is very underwhelmed with talent and it will make a huge difference.

An elite quarterback can make average wide receivers good, but great wide receivers can make an above-average quarterback very good, which is exactly what the Browns need to focus on right now.

It’s easy to blame everything on COVID19, injuries, and bad luck, but there is a little more to it when you really dig in.