5 Cleveland Browns whose stock is down after mini-bye as Steelers await

5. Browns QB Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield’s inclusion here doesn’t mean he’s a bad quarterback, rather, it’s an indictment on how he’s played up until missing his first NFL start against the Broncos.

Baker’s stock is down because we all would’ve probably paid him $40 million after knocking off the Steelers in the playoffs last season. Now, ehhhh….if that’s your answer, and it’s mine, then there’s no other conclusion to come to other than that yes, though seven weeks, his stock is down.

It’d be great to see the front office sign him to annual average salary of $20-$25 million per season, but if I were Mayfield, I sure as heck wouldn’t settle. His competitive drive won’t allow him to do it.

There’s also the issue of coming back when it counts, and twice this year, Mayfield’s failed to match the start quarterback on the other side of the field. He couldn’t get it done against Patrick Mahomes and was notably outshined in the end by Justin Herbert.

Yes, he has seven come-from-behind wins–but I’m not talking about rallying to beat a lousy Jets team, as he did on Thursday Night Football in 2018, or edging out a Case Keenum-led Bronco squad that same season.

I’m talking about being a Super Bowl contender, beating another Super Bowl contender, when you’ve got the ball last.

When playing, Mayfield was doing what Stefanki’s offense called for: Be accurate, don’t turn it over. He was completing passes at a career high 67.1 percent before missing the Broncos game, while throwing six touchdowns against three interceptions.

Now, the shoulder injury has left a giant quest mark on the season that, at least for right now, will be an issue every week until it isn’t…whether that’s Baker comes back, starts playing lights out and we all forget about it, or he shuts it down and has surgery.

Hopefully, Mayfield gets healthy and proves he’s worth of the Josh Allen contract, because it can’t be trending that way right now.