Dawg Pound Daily
FanSided

Cleveland Browns: Best 5 draft picks of the past 5 years

By Casey Kinnamon

Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) intercepts a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) in the end zone in the first quarter of the NFL Week 9 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. Cleveland led 24-10 at halftime.Cleveland Browns At Cincinnati Bengals Week 9
Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) intercepts a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) in the end zone in the first quarter of the NFL Week 9 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. Cleveland led 24-10 at halftime.Cleveland Browns At Cincinnati Bengals Week 9 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
Cleveland Browns
CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns runs for a touchdown during the first half in the game against the Houston Texans at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 19, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Cleveland Browns Draft Bullseye No. 4: Baker Mayfield

There might not be a more divisive player in the recent history of the Cleveland Browns than Baker Mayfield. While the marriage between Mayfield and the Browns didn’t have a storybook ending, unless we are talking about something penned by Stephen King, the quarterback’s time in Cleveland was definitely a net positive.

While the Browns turnaround as a franchise started just before Mayfield was drafted, it would be impossible to argue that the quarterback was not the straw that stirred the drink. He gave the turnaround a face and, for better or for worse, a voice. Mayfield provided hope to a fanbase that began to forget the meaning of the word.

It wasn’t all lollipops and rainbows though. During his four years in Cleveland, the Baker Mayfield experience rivaled any roller coaster 50 miles to the west of FirstEnergy Stadium at Cedar Point. 2018 gave the fans genuine optimism, and then 2019 humbled those same fans and brought everyone back to earth. The cycle repeated itself in 2020 and 2021, only the highs and lows were even more pronounced.

After a tumultuous beginning to the 2022 offseason, the Browns chose to go in a different direction at the most important position in all of professional sports. Even though Mayfield is still technically on the roster, the Texas-born gunslinger has taken his last snap as a member of the Browns. But that does not change the important role he played in helping the franchise pull itself from the abyss of NFL obscurity.

During his time in Cleveland, Mayfield started 59 games and posted a record of 29-30 as the team’s signal-caller. Mayfield threw for 14,125 yards and 92 touchdowns with a 61% completion percentage. Baker’s name is in the top five of every major career passing statistic in franchise history.

So, while it did not have a happy ending, or any ending as of right now, Baker’s time in Cleveland was an incredibly important chapter of the Browns return to relevance.

Home/Browns All-Time Lists