New York Jets quarterback Mike White threw for four interceptions and zero touchdowns in Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills... and even he had a better Pro Football Focus grade than Cleveland Browns signal-caller Baker Mayfield.
Yeesh.
It's been a roller coaster of a season in Cleveland, with some of the highest points coming as recently as Week 9, with Mayfield leading the Browns to a 41-16 over an impressive Bengals squad. And then there are the lows, like the absolute drubbing that Browns fans had to witness at the hands of the Patriots. And for former Cleveland general manager Michael Lombardi, it might have been the last straw for anyone looking at Mayfield as a franchise QB.
In the latest episode of Cadence13's "The GM Shuffle," embedded above and available on Audacy, Lombardi and co-host Adnan Virk couldn't find many positives.
"He's not (an elite quarterback). I mean, at some point we have to admit it," Lombardi said. "I know he's got every commercial know to mankind, but he's not. Here's what it is. Take away the play action passes from Baker, make him a drop-back passer, (and) he's no different than Jared Goff. He's tougher than Jared Goff, don't get me wrong, but it's the same problem. The same problem that Sean McVay had with Jared Goff is the same problem you have with Mayfield.
"...You watch the game, Mayfield can't see. Mayfield can't see from the pocket. Guys are open but when he runs on drop-back passes, he can't see them. The line gets pushed back into him and he can't find the receiver to make the throw."
What's more is that, for Lombardi, the similarities between Mayfield and Goff transcend their playing styles and mechanics. The Rams agreed to a four-year, $134 million extension with Goff back in 2019, and it was a move that clearly didn't go as planned. Now, with the Browns potentially facing a similar decision, Lombardi doesn't think they should make the same mistake.
"...I'm not sure I'd pay Baker 30 (million dollars). I mean, I'm watching this game — like, he's a backup quarterback, you know? I mean, he's no different than Jared Goff," Lombardi said. "...And the problem is, what's the solution? Well, the solution is, you've to find one. The solution is, maybe you go out and draft a quarterback this year, maybe you should've drafted one last year, but the last thing you want to do is pay this guy all the money."
Prior to the season, Mayfield said that he didn't "give a damn" about the timeline for negotiating an extension with the Browns, saying that he was "worried about winning" and "the rest will take care of itself." After this performance, in addition to some other rough outings, one has to wonder if his mindset has changed.
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