3 expectations for the Cleveland Browns heading into Week 1

No. 1 – Baker Mayfield at his best

I personally was never the biggest Mayfield fan in the world, but I can also admit that he did a lot for the Cleveland Browns. If he wouldn’t have been injured last year, the situation right now could be totally different. But you also won’t ever hear me say that he is as good as Deshaun Watson. It takes an elite quarterback to win consistently in the NFL, and Watson has proven to be exactly that.

Mayfield had flashes of greatness in his four years with the Browns, but he also had a lot of inconsistent play. There would be one game where you would think the long-term deal was coming, then followed up by a game where he missed three wide-open receivers in a row.

While there is a chance that this pressure Week 1 matchup will cause him to force a few things, you should expect Mayfield to be at his absolute best. Not only does the Browns defense know Mayfield, but he knows them as well which can be equal to his advantage.

Other than one reporter slip up near the end of the preseason, Mayfield has been respectful to the Browns organization. I don’t think he was happy to be pushed out, but he accepted it and moved on. Even though he hasn’t been as chatty as in the past, you can bet this game has a huge circle on it and his teammates are motivated to help as well.