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Baker Mayfield is banged up and has not made the best case for himself to remain the Cleveland Browns quarterback for the long haul.
Mayfield is under contract for next season thanks to the Browns picking up his fifth-year option, which will pay him nearly $19 million. Despite that, there are a few directions the Browns could decide to go that don’t include Mayfield being the starting quarterback.
If the Browns do decide to part ways with Mayfield, Fox Sports talking head Skip Bayless believes it will come back to haunt the team.
“I dare the Cleveland Browns to get rid of Baker Mayfield and let him start fresh elsewhere,” Bayless tweeted after the Browns 26-14 loss to the Steelers on Monday. “In fact, I beg the Browns to please let him go and come back to haunt you.”
Bayless has been a staunch supporter of Mayfield in the past, backing him as a franchise quarterback and even backing the Browns to make the Super Bowl prior to this season. But with one game left, Cleveland sits at 7-9 and Mayfield’s subpar play has been a big reason why. He’s passed for 3,010 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, failing to come up big down the stretch in multiple key moments this season.
Baker Mayfield Has Battled Through Injury
It hasn’t been an easy year for Mayfield, who has been battling through a torn labrum since Week 2 when he tried to make a tackle on an interception. He’s also dealt with foot, groin and knee injuries this year, literally limping to the finish line of the season. Mayfield made it clear after being sacked nine times against the Steelers that he’s not feeling great and may decide to sit out the team’s finale against the Bengals.
“I’ve continued to lay it out on the line when I haven’t been healthy and tried to fight for our guys,” Mayfield told reporters. “Right now, I’m pretty damn beat up, to be honest with you. There’s no way around it. I gave it everything I had tonight.
“Now it’s time for me to start looking at what’s in the best interest of me and my health.”
That being said, Mayfield is not being forced onto the field and has made it clear he’s the one pushing to be out there. His four interceptions against the Packers and a miserable showing against the Steelers leave the Browns with more questions than answers about his future.
“It’s not gonna always be pretty or smooth, but I’m a fighter,” he said. “If anybody ever questions how much I want it, just turn on this tape. It wasn’t pretty, but I kept going, kept swinging; that’s who I am, and that’s what I will continue to be.”
Kevin Stefanski Under Fire for Play Calling
Mayfield is not the only figure on the Browns who has been under fire. Head coach Kevin Stefanski — the reigning NFL Coach of the Year — has not had a great showing calling plays and has been the target of much criticism. Stefanski has taken the blame for the Browns’ lack of consistency on offense, trying to shift some of the spotlight off Mayfield.
Stefanski said the game plan was to “score some points” against the Steelers, which simply didn’t happen.
“Whatever it was, didn’t work. Wasn’t good enough,” he told reporters after the loss. “Got the QB sacked too many times, didn’t convert on third down. Didn’t get into a rhythm, so it was not good enough.”
The Browns face the Bengals in their season finale next week, with neither team having much to play for. The Browns can’t finish above .500 and have already been eliminated, while the Bengals have locked up the AFC North.
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