Decision time for Andrew Berry: Is Baker Mayfield the right quarterback for Browns?
Nov. 29—The biggest decision Andrew Berry will make as general manager of the Browns is looming, and not just because of how the team he runs lost to the Ravens on Nov. 28 in Baltimore.
This season is not completely lost after the 16-10 defeat wasted a stellar effort by the defense, though it is certainly looking like it will be lost soon. The Browns are 6-6. They are two games behind the 8-3 Ravens in the win column and a game behind the 7-4 Bengals.
Berry must decide how much of the blame is on Baker Mayfield and how much should be spread around on the rest of the offense. Issues that have plagued the offense since mid-October were magnified in Baltimore when the defense intercepted four passes from Lamar Jackson. The offense managed only one field goal from the takeaways. According to ESPN, since 2015 teams that threw four or more interceptions were 0-52 before the Browns squandered their gifts in front of a national television audience.
"Very, very disappointing and frustrated in that game," Coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters. "We have to get to this bye week and fix some things, get healthy, unplug for a minute, and then we have Baltimore again and the stretch run. That's what's in front of us."
Berry's decision on Mayfield is about more than how much money to offer him in a contract extension. The bigger decision is whether to even offer Mayfield an extension beyond the 2022 season. To do so would be committing to him as the quarterback of the future, and that would be a bigger mistake than spending Jimmy Haslam's money on a fat contract if evidence that Mayfield isn't the right fit continues to mount.
Mayfield was 18 of 37 for 247 yards with one touchdown pass against the Ravens. In his post-game interview, Stefanski took the blame, as he always does, for not calling plays to get receivers open. He has no plans to sit Mayfield and start Case Keenum until Mayfield heals from left shoulder, left heel and right knee injuries.
"Why would we do that?" Stefanski asked a reporter after the reporter asked him about a quarterback change. "We're not doing that."
The Browns have scored 14, 17, 10, 41, 7, 13 and 10 points in their last seven games. That isn't a slump. It's a trend.
Defenses have either caught up to what made the Browns successful last year or the cupcake schedule they played in 2021 — the NFC East, the Bengals twice and the Jaguars once — bloated expectations for this season. The Browns won seven of their 11 games against that sad-sack bunch.
Mayfield threw no interceptions against the Ravens, but he fumbled when he had a screen to Kareem Hunt that was set up for a long gain.
Mayfield ranks 24th in the NFL with 11 touchdown passes. That isn't good no matter how you spin it. But problems with the offense extend beyond him overthrowing receivers or throwing the ball in the dirt.
The Ravens choked off the Browns' running attack despite the return of Hunt after missing five games with a calf injury. When that happens everything is exposed, starting with the wide receivers' inability to get separation. Hunt and Chubb carried a combined 15 times for 36 yards.
The offensive line is beat up. Left tackle Jedrick Wills suffered a sprained ankle in the opener and because the injury has lingered hasn't played as well as he did as a rookie in 2020. Right tackle Jack Conklin is likely done for the year after suffering a severe knee injury against the Ravens just as he returned from missing three games with a dislocated elbow.
The Browns have five games left to save the season. They might have to go 5-0 or at least 4-1in December and January to make the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield will be auditioning for his future with the Browns.
