4 quarterbacks Browns could sign to backup Deshaun Watson
By Randy Gurzi
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3. Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor was with the Cleveland Browns in 2018 and found himself in an unenviable position. Despite practically every other team understanding that rookies need to play to develop, the Browns were stuck in 1984. They thought the only way to get a No. 1 overall pick prepared was to start a bridge quarterback while the youngin sat around and watched.
Sure, this was great back when the CBA allowed an insane number of practices but due to limitations on practice counts, the backup quarterback hardly gets any snaps. That means the only way to develop them is to allow them to play — and if anyone wants to use the Brett Favre-Aaron Rodgers-Jordan Love plan as an example, I would ask if you think Taylor (who was also new to the team) is the same as a future Hall of Fame starter that had been there for more than a decade. The answer is no, so don't start that garbage.
Taylor started three games during his time in Cleveland and his record says he led them to a 1-1-1 mark but that's not entirely true. He did have them close in each of their first two games but they tied with the Steelers and lost to the Saints thanks to special teams woes — missed kicks as it were. He then suffered a concussion in Week 3 while the Browns were trailing. Baker Mayfield stepped in, led them to a win, and the rest is history.
Again, none of this was fair to Taylor. He was set up to fail and would be benched the first time Mayfield touched the ball. It would have been better for him to be the backup, which is what he would be should he return.
A 13-year vet, Taylor has 57 career starts and 92 appearances. His team has a record of 28-28-1 with him under center and he has a very impressive 65-to-29 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He might not be a star but he led the New York Giants to two wins this past season, which is no easy task.