Happy With Baker, But Let’s Ease Up A Bit

There is no question that fans of the Cleveland Browns are looking for things to be optimistic about.

After one win in the last two seasons, having a 2-2-1 record through five games certainly provides a glimmer of hope. There is even talk about playoff contention, and heck, if the Browns can get to Thanksgiving still in the hunt, that would be outstanding.

The rookie class is exceeding everyone’s expectations, with Denzel Ward showing signs he can be a shutdown cornerback, Nick Chubb showing flashes of being a top flight running back, and Genard Avery doing very well as a pass rusher.

And then you have the first overall pick, QB Baker Mayfield, who has been pressed into service quicker than most figured after the acquisition of Tyrod Taylor, brought in so the team could ease the rookie into the job.

Mayfield has completed 58.9% of his passes and has a passer rating of just 81.4, but he is providing football fans in northeast Ohio a reason to tune in the Browns every Sunday.

He put up 42 points in a loss to the Raiders, even though he turned the ball over four times.

He ranks 10th in the NFL in yards per passing attempt, meaning he’s not a dink and dunk type of passer, he’s picking up yardage in chunks

We have heard people in the local media and also fans saying the Browns have found their “franchise” quarterback, the franchise’s first since Bernie Kosar.

We say let’s slow down a bit.

We believe you have to string a couple of very good seasons together to achieve the franchise moniker. And while he like Mayfield a lot, let’s wait until NFL defense have seen the rookie and compiled a dossier on how to combat him.

Let’s look at the two quarterbacks taken with the first two picks of the 2015 NFL Draft, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.

Winston started all 16 games his rookie year, and after 12 games, the Buccaneers were 6-6. In those first dozen contests, he threw 17 TD passes vs. 12 interceptions as Tampa looked much improved from a 2-14 season the year before.

He threw for at least 177 yards in every game, topping out with a 363 yard effort in a 31-23 loss to the Rams in the 14th game of the year.

Three years later, does anyone consider Winston one of the top 10 QBs in the NFL?

Mariota started 12 games his rookie year, with the Titans going 3-9 in his starts. He completed 62% of his passes with 19 touchdowns, 10 picks, and a 91.5 passer rating.

His second year was even better–26 TDs, 9 interceptions and a 95.6 rating as Tennessee went 9-7 for the season.

They made the playoffs last season, but the quarterback’s performance declined. He threw 13 scoring passes with 15 interceptions, and this year they are 1-2 in his starts and he has a TD to interception ratio of 2:4.

Again, he wouldn’t make anyone’s Top 10 either.

And that’s our definition of a franchise quarterback, a guy who is among the top players at the most important position in sports.

Don’t forget Dak Prescott in Dallas, who was hailed as a future All Pro after his rookie year, when the Cowboys went 13-3. Now? He’s showing he may just be average.

So, while we are very excited about the former Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma, we aren’t ready to ordain him quite yet. He is playing very well right now, but let’s evaluate him in late November or early December.

By then, we will make more of a sample size to evaluate him. We do like what we’ve seen so far.

Browns Tough One Out To Get Back to .500.

It wasn’t artistic, but when you’ve won two games since the beginning of the 2016 season, beggars can’t be choosers.

When Greg Joseph’s line drive kick went through the uprights with under ten seconds remaining in overtime, it elevated the Cleveland Browns to a .500 record after five weeks of the NFL season, with a 12-9 win over Baltimore in overtime.

It was the third game (out of five) for the Browns that four quarters wasn’t enough to decide the game.

The Browns scored the game’s only touchdown in this defensive battle, a 19 yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Rashard Higgins late in the second quarter, which gave Cleveland a 6-3 lead after Joseph missed the extra point.

Baltimore took the lead after intercepting a Mayfield throw in Browns’ territory, besides that the Browns’ defense, rapidly becoming the strength of this team, allowed just two other field goals, and forced two more turnovers, to give them 15 on the season, topping last year’s squad’s total for the entire season of 13.

Denzel Ward’s interception at the goal line stopped a certain Baltimore score, and is there anyone out there who still thinks GM John Dorsey made a mistake by taking the former Buckeye standout at that spot?

Ward is quickly becoming a player that other quarterbacks avoid.

The other first round pick, the first overall pick, is also acquitting himself nicely too.

Baker Mayfield completed 25 of 43 passes for 342 yards, and directed the game winning drive that began with a reverse to WR Rod Streater, which lost 11 yards and put the team at 2nd and 21 from their own five.

From there, the rookie scrambled for 13 yards to get out of the shadow of their own goal line, and then on 3rd and 8, avoided a sack, and hit rookie Derrick Willies for 43 yards to move into Baltimore territory.

Then, a player who seems to get lost in the shuffle, Duke Johnson, took over, carrying three times for 24 yards to put the ball in position for Joseph.

Joe Flacco threw for 298 yards, but it took him 56 attempts to accumulate those yards, and he was also sacked twice, once by Jamie Collins, and the other on a combination of Myles Garrett and Trevon Coley.

But they didn’t allow the Ravens any big plays, keeping WR John Brown in control, with only 4 catches for 58 yards.

It seems last week’s secondary issues may have been due to Terrance Mitchell leaving the game with an injury, because today, with E.J. Gaines starting, the defensive backfield provided the same type of play as they have all year, save for the Oakland game.

The linebackers all had big days, with Collins getting 12 tackles, Christian Kirksey also had 12, and Joe Schobert forced a fumble.

The officiating was a factor again, as Baltimore didn’t pick up their first penalty until late in the fourth quarter. In a sport where many of the penalties can be considered arbitrary, for one team to have 10 penalties (the Browns) and the other to have none is very, very strange.

It appears the zebra missed a pass interference call against Jarvis Landry by ruling the pass uncatchable (of course it is, Landry was tackled) and they should have call intentional grounding later in OT on Flacco.

To be fair, the roughing the passer call against Mayfield in the extra session, shouldn’t have been called either.

With the Chargers coming in next week, the Browns have survived a tough early schedule (Steelers, Saints, Ravens) with a 2-2-1 record.

And they seem to keep getting better each and every week.

Browns Giving Themselves A Chance To Win, Need To Cash In.

The Cleveland Browns have played 25% of their schedule and hit the quarter pole with a 1-2-1 record.

That doesn’t seem much different from past seasons, but this year has a very different feel to it.

Last year, the Browns were 0-4 (obviously, they went 0-16), and outside of the first game of the season against the Steelers, Hue Jackson’s squad fell behind early and tried to climb back into the game (with the exception of Week 4 vs. Cincinnati).

In 2016, it was better. The Browns were in all four games to open that season, and should have defeated Miami if not for kicking woes (sound familiar?).

However, last season, the quarterback was DeShone Kizer and his traveling turnover show, and in ’16 Robert Griffin III was injured in the opener and was replaced by the local media’s favorite, Josh McCown.

Now, Jackson has turned over the keys to Baker Mayfield, and suddenly there is hope on the horizon.

We have heard the criticism of Mayfield’s four turnovers last Sunday, but there is no question the good he did outweighed the bad.

How about the throw to Darren Fells for a 49-yard touchdown, or the fade to Jarvis Landry for another score. For that matter, when was the last time the Browns used a fade pattern and it worked?

And the strike over the middle to Antonio Callaway was beautiful too. Yes, he was wide open, but Mayfield hit him in stride and he took it to the 1 yard line.

This year’s team has had a legitimate chance to win every game. Two games have went to overtime, one ended in a tie, the other in a loss. Cleveland had the lead against New Orleans with two minutes to go.

We fully support the Bill Parcells theory of your record is what it says it is, but after two seasons with very few good shots at winning, forgive us if we can’t help but be encouraged.

The defense has created turnovers, 13 of them to be exact. By the way, last year’s Browns created that many for the entire season.

Myles Garrett is becoming one of the NFL’s best pass rushers, and another first round pick, Denzel Ward is becoming a shutdown cornerback. You didn’t hear Ward’s name too often last Sunday because Derek Carr was trying to avoid him.

We get that people want to see more of rookie Nick Chubb at running back, but it isn’t as though Carlos Hyde has been bad. He ranks 5th in the NFL in rushing to date.

Still, Chubb should get more opportunities because as he showed Sunday, he can be explosive. Also, his carries will keep Hyde fresh for the end of the season.

Landry is a Pro Bowl wide receiver, Joe Schobert is a Pro Bowl linebacker.

The point is there is talent on this roster, and it’s not just people that Browns’ fans think highly of. People around the NFL respect the young players on the roster here.

Now they have to win. And winning is something you learn. Make no mistake though, it is no longer a talent issue.

If the Browns can’t start converting some of these efforts into wins, we doubt Hue Jackson will be here in 2019. That’s not a threatening thing, it’s just that the NFL is a result business.

Victory, Sweet Victory!

Finally!

After 19 weeks of regular season NFL play, the Cleveland Browns finally picked up a victory with a 21-17 victory over the New York Jets at First Energy Stadium.

In typical Browns’ fashion, it wasn’t easy.

A combination of another special teams’ gaffe (allowing a blocked punt), terrible offensive line play (Tyrod Taylor was sacked four times by halftime), and terrible play by Taylor (he completed 4 of 14 passes for 19 yards), gave the Jets a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

We felt if the visitors got the next score of the game, the Browns would still be winless after three games in 2018.

But, Taylor was injured and had to be checked for a concussion, so in came the first overall pick in last year’s draft, QB Baker Mayfield.

The offense immediately got a shot in the arm, both in the air and on the ground. The offensive line got better, probably because Mayfield got the ball out quicker.

Mayfield wound up completing 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards and no turnovers. It appeared the rookie attacked the defense, throwing into tight windows, and moving the ball vertically.

His worst throw came when he fired one off a defender’s shoulder pads in the end zone when he didn’t see a safety over the middle.

He even caught a pass, the tying two point conversion play from Jarvis Landry on a flea-flicker, reminiscent of the play he scored on in the Rose Bowl.

The running game also got going, getting 133 yards on the ground on a four yards per carry average, as Carlos Hyde led the way with 98 yards on 23 carries.

Landry caught 8 balls for 103 yards, including an incredible catch to set up the Browns first touchdown. The guy’s hands are just incredible.

On the winning touchdown drive, the rookie was tremendous.

He hit Duke Johnson for a first down on a third and five for 15 yards. He hit fellow rookie Antonio Callaway for 10 yards on a 3rd and 10.

Those were big time throws, put exactly where they had to be.

Defensively, after the Jets scored their second TD with 7:59 remaining in the second quarter, they scored three points the rest of the contest.

Sam Darnold was held under 50%, completing 15 of 31 passes for only 169 yards, and after some big plays allowed in the running game early, New York had just 107 yards rushing, a 3.6 average per carry.

They forced three more turnovers, a forced fumble by rookie Denzel Ward, and picks by Joe Schobert and Terrance Mitchell, the latter which clinched the victory.

That’s 11 forced turnovers in the first three games. Last year, the Cleveland defense forced 13…for the entire season.

And Myles Garrett had two more sacks.

There is no question the Browns have some emerging stars on that side of the ball. Garrett and Ward will be the obvious names, but Schobert, Mitchell, and Larry Ogunjobi can’t be overlooked either.

Unfortunately, the special teams still continue to be unimpressive.

The penalties were down too, the Browns had just five last night, but that could be a product of the officiating crew. Some throw a lot of flags, some don’t.

With the win being on the Thursday night game, the Browns get a little extra time to celebrate. They will have a victory weekend.

They go to Oakland a week from Sunday, and have a chance to start, wait for it…a winning streak!

We all thought the Browns were an improved football team, and last night, they proved it.

The Mayfield era started earlier than expected, but you can’t turn back after his performance and the result of the game.

Let’s Not Judge Taylor Too Quickly

Nobody gets carried away like NFL fans after week one. After the opening game of the season, people make generalizations even though a lot depends on who you played in the league’s first week.

Take the Jets’ rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, for example. We already saw one article claiming both the Browns and New York Jets are regretting not taking Darnold after his performance against the Lions on Monday night.

We just said we didn’t want to make generalizations after one week, but the Lions don’t appear to be a very good football team. Let’s see how Darnold performs in the weeks to come before proclaiming him the next big thing.

This brings us to the Browns’ quarterback situation, which after Darnold’s game last Monday night, have some fans and media people wondering why Hue Jackson doesn’t start first overall pick Baker Mayfield.

First, we do not think, nor never have thought, that Tyrod Taylor is a great QB. If you ranked the signal callers around the NFL, he would rank in the mid 20’s.

Should the Browns have drafted Mayfield to make him the starter down the line, perhaps even in the second half of the season? Absolutely.

However, if you look at Taylor’s career, last Sunday’s performance vs. Pittsburgh was an outlier. His completion percentage was the worst of any game he started in the NFL, his yards per attempt were the fifth lowest of any of his starts.

So, it appears to us that Taylor just played a poor game.

That said, the criticisms of the former Virginia Tech product seemed to be valid. He seemed hesitant to throw guys open, and the reason he doesn’t throw a lot of interceptions is he is conservative in his passing attempts.

Both were evident against the Steelers.

After having a quarterback who needed a handle on the ball to hold it a year ago in DeShone Kizer, we understand why John Dorsey and Hue Jackson wanted someone who wouldn’t give the ball to the opponents on a regular basis.

And don’t think for a minute that 1-31 over the past two seasons doesn’t figure in to the decision to go with Taylor either.

Management wanted a quarterback who wasn’t going to assist in losing games. Is that a defeatist attitude? Probably, but when you’ve won once in the last two seasons, you want a passer who isn’t going to make big mistakes and cost the team a victory.

You would think going along with that, you would want to run the ball and play defense to keep your team in games and have a chance to win. They didn’t emphasize the run much, and that’s something to keep your eye on.

But let’s see how Taylor does in the coming weeks, especially in a game where a driving rainstorm isn’t happening. If he struggles like he did in the opener against New Orleans and the Jets, then you can start to have a conversation about putting Mayfield in the starting lineup.

If Taylor’s entire career was similar to the Steelers’ game, then it would be a different story, but the evidence shows he just played a poor game.

No decision should be made based on one week of play in the National Football League. We understand that there are only 16 games, so there is greater importance.

What Have We Learned About Browns Thus Far?

The Cleveland Browns have played two exhibition games, this means the “dress rehearsal”, which is what the third practice game has been called will take place Thursday night, against the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Unfortunately, that’s really no longer the case, the starters usually only play maybe a half of the penultimate exhibition game any more.

What have we learned, if anything, about this year’s edition of the brown and orange.

The Browns have professional play at quarterback. Compared to last year’s forcing of rookie DeShone Kizer, who made a ridiculous amount of mistakes, with a pair of second year passers in Kevin Hogan and Cody Kessler as his backups, having Tyrod Taylor, Drew Stanton, and rookie Baker Mayfield as QB’s is a monster upgrade.

We understand and support the decision to start Taylor. After all, when you are 1-31 over the last two seasons, there is no reason watch a rookie go through growing pains in regular season games.

That said, it would be nice to see Mayfield get some time with the starters, against the Eagles’ first team defense. That’s the next step in seeing how the first overall pick has developed thus far.

We have also learned that Todd Haley won’t abandon the running game. Last season, Hue Jackson would tell everyone every week that he wanted to run the ball, and when they feel behind in the first half!, he would start throwing the ball on virtually every play.

Haley came out Friday night running and Carlos Hyde gashed the Buffalo defense. However, what we more telling was staying with the run in the opener even though it wasn’t really successful. That was a good thing to see.

Remember, the Browns are still missing starting guard Kevin Zeitler, who hopes to be ready for the Steelers in week one.

Defensively, the Browns’ first unit looks to be the real deal, and if that’s true, it is amazing how having solid play at cornerback makes a defense look a heck of a lot better.

We have always believed you should learn from history, and the Browns’ best stretch in the last 35 years was fueled by having Hanford Dixon and Frank Minniefield at the corners.

This isn’t to say Denzel Ward and Terrance Mitchell are the caliber of the leaders of the “Dawg Pound”, but it makes stopping the run easier and it will make Myles Garrett and Emmanuel Ogbah better pass rushers.

GM John Dorsey must believe cornerbacks are similar to pitchers in baseball, when you think you have enough, you go out and get some more. We agree. In today’s NFL, slowing down the passing game is paramount. That’s why pass rushers and corners are at a premium.

The one problem we still see is depth, which is understandable for a young football team. We see a tremendous upgrade in talent on the first unit, both because of Dorsey’s acquisitions and the development of the draft picks from the previous two drafts.

However, there seems to be a big drop off when the subs play. Again, that’s natural, the Browns are still building, but it does mean we will probably see a lot of roster changes when the teams around the NFL cut down to the 53 man limit.

Presence Of Jackson Dampens Enthusiasm About Browns

Cleveland Browns training camp begins a week from today, and of course, sports fans around town are on the edge of their seats in anticipation.

Fans can’t wait to see first overall pick QB Baker Mayfield, along with fellow first rounders CB Denzel Ward, who should make an impact immediately, or at least quicker than Mayfield.

Running back Nick Chubb and WR Antonio Callaway could be other rookies who will figure prominently this season.

And you can’t forget last year’s draft class either. Will Myles Garrett make the quantum leap expected of him and become one of the sport’s disruptive forces on the defensive line. Don’t forget Jabril Peppers, who will now be playing his more natural position of strong safety.

You also have the new free agents, especially WR Jarvis Landry, who figures to be a focal point of the offense. Carlos Hyde will be in the mix at running back, and Mychal Kendricks and T. J. Carrie figure to make an impact on defense.

However, there is one thing that puts a damper on any optimism for the franchise, and that is the head coach. Hue Jackson is still there.

Jackson has somehow returned for a third season as head coach of the Browns despite winning just one of the 32 games he has been at the helm. And it’s not like the team’s record improved in his second year.

Cleveland went 1-15 in Jackson’s maiden voyage with the brown and orange and returned to go 0-16 the following season.

It appears the only reason he is back is for continuity sake, not because anyone can put a finger on something significant the team has accomplished in his two seasons in Cleveland.

Many football people we respect, both nationally and locally believe the Browns were not an 0-16 team a year ago, and those same people also believe the squad was poorly coached.

Yes, it helps him that he now no longer has play calling responsibilities, so he can focus on the overall picture. Will that help him from making curious in game decisions in terms of time management or replay decisions, time will tell.

Going into the season, there will be stories on how many early losses it will take before Jackson is replaced, and offensive coordinator Todd Haley will be speculated as the likely successor.

After all, GM John Dorsey didn’t get a chance to hire the coach, and we would bet he already has an idea of who he would like to bring in to run the team on the field. Heck, that guy might just be Haley.

That’s not fair to a very young football team, and make no mistake, that’s exactly what the Browns will be this season. They deserve to gain experience and confidence, not feel pressure from a head coach who needs to get off to a good start.

Our opinion of Jackson is he is a coach with more style than substance. He has a good reputation, but what is it based on? In his tenure in Cleveland, he seems to deflect a lot of responsibility in regards to his record.

With the talent Dorsey and Sashi Brown brought in over the last two years, it’s time for Jackson to start producing results. We just aren’t sure he is up to the task.

Having Taylor Means Browns Can Take It Slow With Baker.

By nature, Cleveland sports fans are a nervous lot.

Do the Indians have enough pitching, particularly in the bullpen. Will LeBron James leave the Cavaliers in the off-season?

For Browns’ fans, the worry is always the quarterback position. That comes from not having a franchise QB since Bernie Kosar was given his release by Bill Belichick in 1993.

When the Browns draft a rookie at the position, the front office and the fans invariably want to get him on the field, sometimes at the detriment to the player.

Tim Couch was supposed to be the foundation for the Browns when they returned to the NFL in 1999. He came into the first game he suited up for, and started the second game. Behind a makeshift offensive line, it was an expansion team after all, Couch took a beating and lasted just five seasons.

He did guide the Browns to a playoff spot in 2002, however.

Last season, DeShone Kizer was thrown into the fray before he was ready, and the result was an 0-16 season that everyone would like to forget.

So, now the attention falls upon first overall pick Baker Mayfield, and already some fans and media alike are wondering when he will start for the Browns.

Here are the arguments they use, and our response:

The Carson Wentz/Deshaun Watson Factor: Both of those QBs were picked in the first round and started right away, and if they could, why can’t Mayfield?

In Wentz’ case, the Eagles traded away Sam Bradford for a first round pick, and the alternative was Chase Daniel, who had (and still has) started just two NFL regular season games, and had thrown 77 passes total.

And for Houston, it took just one half of football for Bill O’Brien to decide Tom Savage shouldn’t be his starting passer, a job given to him with two NFL starts.

Even Russell Wilson beat out Matt Flynn, signed to a big contract as a free agent after, you guessed it, two NFL starts.

By contrast, the QB the Browns plan to open the season with, Tyrod Taylor, has started 42 NFL games, has a winning record in those starts, and guided the Buffalo Bills to a playoff spot last season.

This isn’t to say Taylor is an All Pro. But he is a professional quarterback with a proven track record. And for a team that has won one game in the past two seasons, that’s very appealing.

His Age. Mayfield is 23 years old, hardly an advanced age. Aaron Rodgers was 25 years old when he started his first NFL game. Brett Favre was also 23. Russell Wilson was 24 years old.

The point is this–if Mayfield sits this season, he could still wind up as the Browns’ starting QB for 12-15 years, based on how long players like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Favre have started.

The Bust Factor. If Mayfield doesn’t start right away, clearly he is a bust. Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs picked Patrick Mahomes in the first round and he started one game, the last game of the year after KC clinched a playoff spot.

Is anyone saying he’s a bust?

Look, if the best veteran QB the Browns had was Brian Hoyer or Brock Osweiler, we could understand being upset if Mayfield couldn’t beat them out.

That’s not the case here.

If Mayfield overwhelms Todd Haley and wins the job by being better than Taylor, then so be it. Otherwise, why not let the future franchise quarterback, learn how to be a professional by observing both Taylor and Drew Stanton, two guys who are pros.

Relax, Browns’ fans. There’s no rush here.

If the Browns are 4-8 with four games left, then they can let Mayfield get a chance to show what he has learned.

But, here’s a novel approach. Why not try to win some football games? It doesn’t mean you are stunting Mayfield’s growth, nor does it mean the Browns blew the first overall pick.

Browns Should Be Patient With Baker

Philosopher George Santayana is credited with saying “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

This couldn’t be more apt for the Cleveland Browns right now. Once the team drafted Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, fans and media alike have been wondering when the rookie from Oklahoma will become the starting quarterback.

We continue to hope the Browns’ coaching staff and front office will resist the temptation to put Mayfield in there, at least until perhaps the last four games of the season.

We understand that other quarterbacks have moved right into the starting lineup for their teams over the past few years, guys like Carson Wentz, Jameis Winston, and Marcus Mariota, but there was unique circumstances here.

First, none of the teams those QBs played on did not win a game the year prior, nor did any of them win just one game over the past two seasons.

GM John Dorsey brought in Taylor because he’s a professional, putting up a 22-20 record as a starter over three seasons in Buffalo. He should start the season, and if he is putting up some wins, why wouldn’t Hue Jackson stay with him?

It’s not like all quarterbacks drafted high start as rookies, either. Sure, the quartet we mentioned did, but from last year’s class, Patrick Mahomes didn’t start until the last week of the season.

From the 2016 class, Jared Goff didn’t start until a little over the halfway point in the season.

And last season’s rookies that did start weren’t really replacing quarterbacks as good as Taylor. Mitch Trubisky took over after Mike Glennon started the first four games and put up more than 20 points just once.

Deshaun Watson took over in the first half of the first game for Tom Savage after he was awful in a 29-7 loss to Jacksonville in the season lidlifter. Savage was 6 for 13 for 62 yards and was sacked six times when he was benched.

Look, we understand that Taylor isn’t Tom Brady or a player who would ever be ranked in the top ten of QB’s around the league. However, he’s got a much better track record than Glennon or Savage.

With a very young team, the Browns need a veteran presence at quarterback to start the season off.

And even if Mayfield plays lights out during the exhibition, fans and media alike will have to remember he will probably be playing against a bunch of players who will likely not be on NFL rosters come week one.

This is not to doubt the ability of Mayfield, who we liked coming out of college, and we have no reason to not trust Dorsey’s selection as the future franchise quarterback of the Cleveland Browns.

Another argument used to rush the first overall pick into action is his age. Heck, he’s 23, you’ve got to get him in there. Mayfield is 23, not 33. Even if he doesn’t play at all in 2018, good QBs are playing into their late 30’s these days. It’s conceivable he could still play for 15 years.

The Browns have had a history of starting signal callers too early. DeShone Kizer was clearly not ready. Neither was Cody Kessler, Johnny Manziel, or Brandon Weeden.

Why not try something different and have the rookie watch and learn a bit before putting him on the field. We also understand that Mayfield is a competitive guy and wants to play as soon as possible.

That doesn’t mean the Browns should go ahead and put him in there before he is ready. The best plan is for him to sit and watch for awhile. There is no reason to rush the process.

Browns Adding Players At Important Positions

Browns’ GM John Dorsey has been full of surprises during this NFL Draft. Well, surprises to the fans and draftniks out there, at least.

Our guess (and reports have indicated this) is that Dorsey has known for a long time who he wanted and who he would take with both the first and fourth picks, and because they were different players than the national media reported, some people are disappointed.

We have always believed we will trust the professional talent evaluators until they give us a reason not to. That’s why we won’t second guess the front office’s choices this week.

Besides, we like Baker Mayfield as a quarterback. Yes, we would have preferred UCLA’s Josh Rosen, but said we wouldn’t have a problem with him, Sam Darnold, or Mayfield.

As for the pick being a reach, most mock drafts we saw had Mayfield going no later than at pick #3 to the Jets, so taking him two picks earlier isn’t a big deal.

The Heisman Trophy winner is accurate and has a strong arm. The biggest rap on him is his height, so he most definitely can become an elite quarterback. That said, we would still have him sit most, if not all of his rookie season, so he can learn the pro game before taking the field.

He’s 23 years old, not 28 or 33, so if he doesn’t play this season, it is quite possible he could be the Browns’ QB for 10-15 years if his performance merits.

In our opinion, the next most important position on defense after pass rusher is cornerback, so we understand the selection of Denzel Ward at #4.

Many thought the Browns really liked NC State pass rusher Bradley Chubb, but we think the Browns’ brass were impressed with Emmanuel Ogbah, and decided to go with someone who can guard wide receivers.

This goes along with what Dorsey did in free agency, when he added TJ Carrie, Terrance Mitchell, and E.J. Gaines, pretty much turning over the position.

Besides, we remember the last time the Browns were a perennial contender, their defense was built around two shutdown corners, Hanford Dixon and Frank Minniefield.

Friday night, Dorsey added to one of the team’s strengths selecting Austin Corbett, interior lineman from Nevada. This was the Browns taking the best player left on their board.

After correctly passing on Saquon Barkley in round one, by taking Nick Chubb from Georgia. Chubb will join Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson to form a running attack Hue Jackson can have confidence in.

WR Antonio Callaway (4th round) has had all sorts of issues in his collegiate career, but if (and that’s a big if) he can stay out of trouble, he has first round talent.

LB Genard Avery is great get in round five. He should play in the middle and could be a leader on special teams. He should be a contributor in 2018.

As we said previously, until given reasons otherwise, we trust the Dorsey and his staff of talent evaluators who have a proven track record. We also reject the notion that Mayfield and Ward were reaches.

Both of them were considered among the best, if not the best player available at their respective positions.

So relax Browns’ fans. They are better today than on Wednesday before the draft started. The bigger question is will the head coach get the most out of this group?