Three reasons why the Cleveland Browns and Baker Mayfield could struggle in 2020.
Baker Mayfield should have a huge year in 2020. The team made a lot of strides, seemingly improved all of their biggest issues, and put themselves into a great position to have prolonged success for years to come. That doesn’t mean the Cleveland Browns and Mayfield aren’t immune to having a terrible year, however.
That’s not to say that it will happen or it’s wanted or even expected. It’s just a simple possibility and one that should be pointed out. We talked about the three reasons why Mayfield is poised for a big year in 2020, and so it would be disingenuous to not look at the possibility of the inverse being possible.
None of this is meant as an indication or prediction that Mayfield will struggle this season. Simply an acknowledgment that it’s a possibility, no matter how unlikely or unwanted. Mayfield is someone who has immense talent, and none of the entries will have anything to do with him not being good enough. For as we’ve seen, he has what it takes to get the job done. It’s only a matter of if he has what it takes to get the job done when everything else around him is falling apart.
That’s the question that may be answered this year, but who knows. So with all that said, let’s look at why Mayfield could struggle in 2020.
The Injury Bug returns
The most obvious reason for all of this is the return of the Injury Bug. That little punk. The Browns have a few key positions that are worrisome due to their injuries. Some linemen have battled injuries their whole careers, while other players are at a position where injury rates are high. One bad step from Nick Chubb and a sprained ankle could keep him out eight games.
Heck, Mayfield’s been hit more times than a golf tee at a driving range, eventually, everyone’s body breaks down. Could his? Age is irrelevant in this regard, for we’ve seen young athletes plagued by injuries on all the time in sports.
More to the point, however, is the health of Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. Now yes, Landry only ever really had one major injury, his hip, which was treated this offseason with surgery. He’s also never missed a single game, despite not starting all of the games he’s played in. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler and one of the five (if not the best) wide receiver in the league. That all said, hip injuries are not easy to come back from. They flare up, get reinjured, or end careers. Landry could take a hit and never be right again, or even play again. He could also play another 15 years without missing a single snap. The Injury Bug works in mysterious ways like that. We’re all optimistic that Landry will be healthy and that this hip injury isn’t anything like Bo Jackson’s or Tua Tagovailoa’s.
The real problem, however, is Beckham. Beckham, unlike Landry, already has a wide and deep history of injuries. Ones that may have sapped him of his elite talent already. After three straight subpar and injury-plagued years, Beckham is hoping for a major bounce back in 2020. Will his body let that dream become a reality? The odds aren’t in his favor.
There’s also the possibility that an injury to someone like Joel Bitonio or Austin Hooper could happen where one blows a knee or breaks a bone. The Injury Bug works in mysterious and evil ways.
Major acquisitions fail to make major contributions
Free-agent acquisitions fail all the time. Just look at Josh Norman, a one-time “shut-down” cornerback who went to Washington and absolutely tanked his career. Then there’s Albert Haynesworth, a one-time run-stopping god who fell apart after going to…Washington. Then there’s Antwaan Randle El, who left Pittsburgh as a potential Pro Bowl player only to bottom out in, huh, really? Washington again?
Maybe the odds aren’t as against the Browns on this one as previously thought.
Jokes aside, the Browns do have their share of bad signings. Forking over gobs of money to Karlos Dansby, only for him to be part of one of the worst defenses in the league both years he was in Cleveland (10th and 6th worst defenses respectively). Then there’s the amazing Dwayne Bowe contract. Gee, sure glad we overpaid for a broken wideout. Then maybe the “WHAT” on top of the “Were They Thinking” sundae of modern signings was Paul Kruger.
Sure, he had one moderately successful year with the team, but he was signed to be a game-changer and most of his sacks were him accidentally running into the quarterback. Not exactly the stud pass rusher he was supposed to be. Now sure, there are others that make the list to like LeCharles Bentley, but he’s only here because he got hurt before he ever played.
These are all the examples one may need to wonder if Jack Conklin is as good as advertised? Kruger was a similar type of guy, high-upside who had a great season before leaving teams. That’s not a slight on Conklin, only an acknowledgment that signings don’t always pan out for a variety of reasons. Maybe Austin Hooper gets hurt, or Jedrick Wills falls into the Springfield Mystery Spot and is never seen again.
It’s impossible to say what will happen and highly unlikely that every acquisition pans out. Here’s hoping for the best though.
The Covid-19 disruption
While some may shriek about this being the reality of the world we live in, the facts are what they are. There is no doubt that this pandemic has affected how we do everything. Form everyday interactions to shopping to even how we work. For some, working from home is already the norm but not for NFL players. Especially not for NFL players who are learning a brand new system, with brand new terminology.
For Baker Mayfield to succeed in 2020, he’ll have had to prep extra hard during the downtime away from the team facilities. He’ll have needed all of those Skype or Zoom conference calls, would need to have sent practice film to the coaching staff, and would need to work on his throwing mechanics all while being states away from his coaches.
That’s a hard task. It’s even harder when you remember that Jedrick Wills is changing sides of the line, meaning learning how to step and plant differently, as well as bringing in Jackin Conklin into the fold through online classes. It’s not a perfect way to introduce anyone into anything.
Most pundits agree that established teams will struggle to improve due to current team situations. They also think that teams like the Browns, who gutted and rebuilt themselves in one offseason like a house on HGTV, will have even more hurdles and issues to overcome.
Again, none of this is to say the Browns will be awful and that this is why. This is merely one possibility that exists as to why the Browns could struggle. The disruption of the coaching, meetings, and lack of team bonding are huge things to overcome. The team is lead by some great men, however, and it’s entirely possible that this is a non-issue heading into the season.
There’s also a possibility that the team is weeks behind when the season starts because of this. Only time will tell which possibility comes to fruition.