Getty Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield.
It appears that the Cleveland Browns starters will get some run against the Washington Redskins on Thursday night in both team’s preseason opener.
Head coach Freddie Kitchens has not showed his hand when talking about the strategy for the preseason.
“I do not know yet,” Kitchens said at practice this week. “We are just trying to get through tomorrow.”
Kitchens did note some benefits from the preseason reps, but is playing it by ear.
“I think they definitely need to play together, and we will monitor it as it goes along from the standpoint of their timing and stuff like that. Our practices are pretty physical from that standpoint. We will see and monitor that – the relationship the receivers and quarterback have together, their timing and stuff like that. A lot of things factor into those questions. I am not trying to dismiss it. Some of it factors into who is available.”
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo sent out a tweet saying that his understanding is “most, if not all (starters) will be a go.”
The Athletic write Zac Jackson also shared his thoughts.
Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham Already Building Great Chemistry
The live reps of preseason will be important for Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. as they continue to build on their chemistry they have developed through the offseason and training camp.
“Everything great comes with patience and takes time. We are still developing,” Beckham said after training camp practice on Friday. “Once we get on the same page, I just feel like it’s gonna be scary.”
With his vocal leadership, explosive playmaking ability and sometimes brash personality, Mayfield has earned the respect of Beckham.
“When you have a guy like that, you never want to let him down,” Beckham said when asked about his quarterback. “There’s a reason he was the first pick. I just let him tell me what he thinks I should do and I’m just gonna do that. And he’s going to put it where it needs to be.”
The feeling has been mutual from Mayfield, who has seen his wide receiver pull off some amazing catches already.
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“He can do things I’ve never seen before,” Mayfield said in a recent Sports Illustrated interview. “The pure talent is unreal. As we grow chemistry together, it can be pretty special. He makes my job easy. I’m happy to be able to be at camp with him and get better every day.”
Odell Beckham Sees Brett Favre in Baker Mayfield
GettyCleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. compared his quarterback Baker Mayfield to Brett Favre.
Beckham came over to the Cleveland Browns via a blockbuster trade this offseason from the New York Giants. He goes from playing with Eli Manning — who’s approaching 40 and has been timid to go downfield in recent seasons — to Mayfield, who plays with a gunslinger mentality, something OBJ famously noted in a GQ interview earlier this year.
“I watch football. I really, really watch football,” Beckham told reporters at minicamp. “And that is a good comparison in my eyes. I loved Brett Favre growing up and Baker has a lot of similarities to him. You put the highlights together and it looks the same.”
When asked about the comparison by Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, Favre agreed with Beckham’s assessment.
“There’s no question that the sky is the limit for Baker,” Favre told the Beacon Journal in a recent interview. “And, yeah, I think his style of play, and I’ve heard the same thing about [Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick] Mahomes, and I agree with both, that their styles of play — if you had to pick a former player — would certainly match up to my style.”
Fans will hopefully get their first look at the connection against the Redskins in the team’s first preseason game. Kickoff from FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland is scheduled for 7:36 p.m.
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