Baker Mayfield Silences His Critics

The expectations were very high for Baker Mayfield after the Cleveland Browns used the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft to select him. Managing to set a single-season rookie record for passing touchdowns only raised the bar further.

Mayfield followed up his impressive rookie campaign with an underwhelming 2019 season. He completed just 59.4 percent of his 534 pass attempts, resulting in just 3,827 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions.

Many seem to forget that progression isn’t always linear. Sometimes, players will go through a slump, or it takes time before they can reach the next step. That goes for someone selected with the top pick or an undrafted free agent and Mayfield is certainly no exception.

It should only help Mayfield to play in the offensive system of new head coach Kevin Stefanski, similar to what occurred for Kirk Cousins with the Minnesota Vikings. The impressive running back play and talented receivers of the Browns should help with generating similar results.