CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Injuries have no doubt been behind Baker Mayfield’s lackluster year.
The Browns have suffered as a result, but they have themselves to blame.
Despite Mayfield having lost five of his last seven starts while showing his toughness by willing to play hurt, Browns executive vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry stands behind the team’s decision to play Mayfield while the quarterback limps in pain through his fourth NFL season.
“Baker is our quarterback,” Berry said. “He is healthy enough to win games for us. He has won games for us in the past couple of weeks. If he is ready to go, he is going to be our starter.”
But Mayfield is not healthy. And he is not winning games but the Browns decided playing a beat up Baker was better than playing a healthy Case Keenum, who is being paid $6 million to serve as Mayfield’s backup.
As a result, a season that began with Super Bowl aspirations is teetering on the edge of crashing down in spectacular fashion with the team a disappointing and uninspiring 6-6 at the bye.
“We have seen Baker play a lot of good football here. We have seen Baker play good football this season,” Berry said. “I know he is excited, and we are excited for the opportunity ahead of us. We expect him to play his best football moving forward over the next five weeks.”
Mayfield’s limitations on the field due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder as well as bone bruises in his knees and feet have led to him complete 56% of his passes over his last five starts after returning from a one-week hiatus – a game the Browns won without him.
Mayfield has thrown five touchdowns, three interceptions, fumbled twice and been sacked 11 times since his return.
“I think we all know that Baker is incredibly physically tough,” Berry said. “I think he has told you guys at moments in the year when he has been frustrated with his own performance. That being said, he has had stretches this year where he has played well for us. Look, the reality of it is he has worked through injuries, no different than other players on our roster.
I know what he expects of himself and what we expect of him whenever he is on the field to perform at a capable level and at a winning level.
“We expect him to play his best football down the stretch after the bye.”
They needed him to play much better before the bye as well.
The Browns have scored no more than 13 points in their last three games and 14 or fewer in six of Mayfield’s last eight outings.
Berry cited three criteria the organization uses when deciding whether or not a player is healthy enough to play at a level required to win.
“No. 1, are they medically cleared from the perspective that they can’t do anything harmful to their health or significantly harmful to their health. No. 2, are they medically cleared in a manner that would allow them to function in their role on the field and play at a winning level in their role on the field. Then No. 3, does the player both by feel and honestly by evidence throughout the practice week, can he perform all the requirements of his role on gameday,” Berry said.
“We will never put a player on the field that does not pass those three criteria, whether it is our quarterback, an offensive lineman, a member of the secondary, a punter or a kicker. That holds through for Baker.”
After exercising the fifth-year option on Mayfield’s rookie contract in April, this season was expected to be a referendum on what, if any, contract extension for the 2018 No. 1 pick would look like.
The injuries, and subpar performance as a result have undoubtably clouded that evaluation, regardless of Berry’s public position.
“I will be honest, it is probably more art than science,” Berry said. “It is a little bit more feel. It is a little bit about looking at things without emotion and ultimately trying to be fair to your team and your organization.”
Berry made it clear that the five games that remain on the schedule – all against contenders – won’t tip the scales either way.
“I think Baker has shown a lot over the past three-plus seasons so I do not necessarily subscribe to this notion that there is something in these next five games that is of particular focus,” Berry said,
Berry doesn’t believe the potential extension has hovered over Mayfield or adversely affected him.
“It comes with the territory in terms of being a professional athlete, but I do know this: Baker is both physically and mentally resilient, and he is hyper-focused,” Berry said. “I doubt that is something that is really top of mind with him.”
