4 Cleveland Browns who will make or break 2022 season
By Greg Newland
Cleveland Browns Make or Break Player No. 1 – Baker Mayfield
I don’t think anyone reading this article thought player No. 1 would be anyone but Baker Mayfield. There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind, he is the biggest question mark on the roster. If he can perform as he did at the end of the 2020 season, the Cleveland Browns will be just fine.
If we see the Mayfield (I know he was injured) that we saw much of 2021, it’s going to be another long season. No defense in the world will be able to make up for some of the mistakes that he made turning over the football last year.
For the first time in years, I think the preseason will be crucial for Mayfield. With a healthy shoulder, Kevin Stefanski needs to let him play a little bit and get him a rhythm. We know he can be a really good NFL quarterback in spurts, we now need to see it for an entire season.
Remember, the great season we keep referring to in 2020, Mayfield threw for just over 3,500 yards, 26 touchdowns, and a completion percentage below 63. It’s not bad, but he didn’t even eclipse 4,000 yards.
Bottom line, in year five of his rookie deal, Mayfield needs to ball out. Make Berry pay for not giving the extension and make it cost the organization $5-10 million per year. Truthfully, that is my dream scenario.
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Mayfield doesn’t need to be Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes, but he needs to be efficient and he can’t turn the ball over. Also, he is going to have to figure out a way to close games and get a couple of big wins he couldn’t come up with in 2021.