Browns: The 2018 NFL draft class wants to stick around

The Browns should get used to Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, and Denzel Ward sticking around.

The Browns seemingly hit gold in 2018 with the consecutive draft picks of QB Baker Mayfield, CB Denzel Ward, and RB Nick Chubb. Those three players have already done so much for Cleveland. The Browns faithful love them and it turns out, they love the Browns. All three are due for new contracts in the next year or two, and good news for Browns fans, all three apparently want to re-sign with the organization.

Chubb and Ward have already stated as such, with Chubb telling reporters;

"Cleveland’s where I want to be. I hope everything can work out in that direction."

Ward was equally complimentary, telling Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via CBS);

"In a perfect world, I’d definitely want to be a Brown for my entire career."

For Mayfield, he’s not even worried about his next contract, saying he’s in no rush to get the extension done. Mayfield believes if he plays well and wins, everything will work itself out.

"It’ll handle itself. So I’m just worried about winning."

Each player has been key to the rebound of the organization, and the trio has three Pro Bowls between them so far. Each player is also considered a top-10 guy at their position, either through metrics (Mayfield), stats (Chubb) or just being that good on game tape (Ward).  There’s always the chance that they move on at some point due to money but if the Browns want them as much as they want to stay, there’s no reason they shouldn’t all retire as Browns.

Technically you could add Wyatt Teller to the crop of guys as well, as he was drafted by Buffalo in the mid-late rounds in 2018. This was about the Browns’ own draft picks though, so Teller isn’t included in this for that reason.

Not the only stars who wanted to retire in Cleveland.

While it’s been a long time since the Browns were winners, keeping talent hasn’t actually been that hard of a thing to do. Players like being in Cleveland. There’s a strong fanbase here that pros want to be part of. It’s part of the reason that Joe Thomas and Joe Haden were so adamant about sticking around as long as they did. Even though Haden was released, he wanted to retire a Browns player. Thomas did.

Phil Dawson and Josh Cribbs were another set of Browns legends that stuck around long-term and didn’t go chasing “better” opportunities. They wanted to be part of the turnaround. They weren’t, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t contribute to amazing moments and memories that kept the fanbase happy all those years.

It’d be great to see guys like Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward, and Nick Chubb stick around until they retire, joining such legends like Thomas. Maybe the stars will align one day and Haden will get to come home for a season or two before he retires. That way he can wash off that black and gold stink from him.

One day, we may very well talk about the trio of Ward, Chubb, and Mayfield in hushed reverence.