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Baker Mayfield is banged up and depending on how his serious shoulder injury shakes out, the Cleveland Browns could be in the market for another option to provide quarterback depth.
One name that the Browns have been linked to is former NFL MVP Cam Newton, who is a free agent and hungry to get back on a roster. Bleacher Report listed the Browns as a “viable landing spot” for Newton thanks to his ability in the run game. While he’s regressed throwing the ball, Newton has 5,398 career rushing yards and 70 rushing touchdowns in his career.
Here’s what Bleacher Report had to say about the possible signing:
The team still has postseason aspirations but may find it difficult with its No. 1 quarterback performing poorly prior to getting hurt. The Browns beat a sputtering Denver squad with Case Keenum, but the backup was hardly impressive in his first start, going 21-of-33 for 199 yards and a touchdown.
If Cleveland secures a higher-end backup like Newton, it could feel more comfortable giving Mayfield extra time to recover. Newton also makes for a strong insurance policy in case Mayfield misses a significant chunk of time with future injuries.
Browns Paying Keenum Big Backup Money
Bleach Report’s review of Keenum’s play is a little harsh, considering he was playing without both star running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, an offensive tackle and a less than 100% Odell Beckham Jr.
“The expectations for our positions do not change regardless of who is in there. We have expectations for the quarterback and how they play, and I thought Case played well last night,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told the media after beating the Broncos. “He made good decisions. He spread the ball around and took care of the football. … Whomever it is that is in the starting lineup, we really expect them to do their job.”
The Browns picked up Keenum in 2020 for exactly this situation, knowing he brought a wealth of experience to the backup spot if he had to be called upon. He signed a healthy three-year, $18 million deal in 2020 to be the backup to Mayfield.
Keenum came with quite the resume for a backup, with his most recent previous starting gig coming with Washington. In his eight starts he went 1-7, passing for 1,707 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Keenum started 30 games over his previous two seasons before landing in Washington with the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings. In 2017, he went 11-3 with Minnesota, helping lead the team to the NFC championship game.
Browns Not Ruling Out Mayfield Against Steelers
There is a lot of uncertainty around Mayfield’s injury and his potential timeline for a return. The former top pick was adamant he’d play last week but was ultimately held out. Mayfield has not only torn labrum but also a tuberosity fracture in his left shoulder, revealed by Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer prior to Thursday’s game.
Stefanski gave a simple, “We’ll see,” when asked about Mayfield status for this week on Monday.
The main issue last week was that the swelling in Mayfield’s shoulder was preventing him from strengthening the muscles around the injury. Stefanski said that he could not provide an update on whether or not Mayfield was able to do that this week yet.
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