Until the end of time, Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns will be tangled. He was primed to be the franchise's savior, a college superstar entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick to break the team's quarterback curse.
Mayfield undoubtedly had some great moments in Cleveland. It wasn't all good, though, and he deserves his fair share of blame for how things went down. But with every season, it becomes clearer that the Browns made the wrong decision with him.
Even if Deshaun Watson hadn't held the franchise back for nearly half a decade, Mayfield's development is proof that sometimes, all it takes is patience and a supportive organization. That's why, now that Mayfield has cracked the league's top-100 player list at the age of 31, this should serve as a stern reminder for Andrew Berry.
The Cleveland Browns can't make the same mistake with their next young quarterback
As things stand now, the Browns have a two-man quarterback race between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. The latter is a former fifth-round pick who faced plenty of adversity as a rookie, but he flashed enough upside to warrant an extended look. Whether that continues with the Browns into the future, or with another team, remains to be seen.
Just for the sake of the argument, let's say that the Browns aren't sold on Sanders and move on. They would have to find their quarterback of the future in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Again, the Baker Mayfield saga should be top of mind with whoever they draft. They can't expect a turnaround overnight. If they see progress and potential, they must do whatever it takes to elevate their hopeful franchise star.
Mayfield wasn't a perfect player by any means, and he ruffled some feathers with his demeanor. Still, he led the Browns to their first — and still only — playoff win of the expansion era, and he was a former No. 1 pick who hadn't even reached his prime when he was traded following the 2021 season.
Clearly, the Browns got the evaluation part right, and that could still be the case with Sanders or their next rookie quarterback. But as we've seen time and time again, scouting is just the beginning, and development is what can actually make or break a player's career.
Mayfield, like many other quarterbacks, was a late bloomer. It took landing in the right system to bring out the best in him. He may not be an MVP or a future Hall of Famer, but he would've given Cleveland a much better chance to win than his successors.
Granted, some of this perception is also driven by narratives. For outsiders, he'll be just another example of how the Browns ruined another future star. Every time he shines, they won't pass on the opportunity to mock the team that drafted him.
The Browns simply cannot repeat the same mistake. They need to go the extra mile to give their next young quarterback everything he needs to succeed.
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