Browns should replace Stefanski, not Mayfield

[Auggie]

There's buzz in Cleveland that Mayfield may have played his last game for the Browns.

This would be a mistake.

Mayfield proved his chops last year and overachieved on a team with some glaring weaknesses.

This year the team was ravaged by injuries (the biggest of which were to Mayfield and his starting right tackle), bad locker room blood caused by the Beckham incident, COVID suspensions, dubious play-calling, and some really stupid player penalties.

All fall on the shoulders on Stefanski.

Mayfield should have gone on IR and been replaced by back-up Case Keenum. Beckham could have been handled before he and his dad threw tantrums that polarized the team. Off-field COVID masking and distancing protocols should have been better encouraged and enforced (over 20 players were out of the game with Las Vegas, including Stefanski, who had his second COVID infection in less than one year). And the O.C. should have called the plays. Not Stefanski.

It starts on the field with the head coach. If you watched the Monday night debacle between Cleveland and Pittsburgh you saw it all.

[gibraltar72]

1. I like Mayfield

but the blocked passes are on him. Also he looked indecisive on when and who to throw the ball too recently.

[Auggie]

5. Yes. But I think playing behind the rookie tackle rattled him and forced him to make bad throws.

Plus, Cleveland's formations did not fool the Steelers. One Cleveland beat writer noted they used the same formation on several pass plays -- a back lined-up next to Mayfield, Mayfield takes a three-step drop, then throws. Pittsburgh simply watched his eyes then rushed with their hands up on those formations.

[YP_Yooper]

12. Can't put too much on him this last game

For crying out loud, he said as much.
TJ Watt had the most tackles in the NFL for, what 4 years straight? Put a rookie on him and think Mayfield had a real chance? When they doubled up on Watt, then they got nailed from the other side. What choice did he have but to get rid of the ball ASAP?

Last year showed he can step up if he has the support.

[Auggie]

14. Exactly ...

FYI: in a recent game Tennessee handled Nick Bosa of the 49ers really well by alternating between RBs and TEs as additional blockers. It helped that one receiver -- I think A.J. Brown -- ran stellar routes vs a weak 49ers secondary and caught everything thrown to him. Browns weren't able to adapt like the Titans did.

[YP_Yooper]

16. Awesome observation :)

[Raven123]

2. Never been fully convinced about Mayfield's ability at the NFL level. I agree about Stefanski

He just gets outcoached in too many games

[Auggie]

8. The Browns are a running team first and foremost. A very good one.

Mayfield's passing game is serviceable. Not a great QB, but way above average. Enough to complement good rushing.

[Botany]

3. Mayfield has sucked for more then 80% of this season

He should have shut it down, got his surgeries, and come back next season. Keenum had a very good game
@ QB after which Baker started playing again and was God awful. The man had a broken bone in his shoulder,
and a torn labrum on his left side and bad knee. His QB rating is 35.

Stefanski is now shutting Mayfield down when it doesn't matter for the season's last game. Maybe he should
go too.

[bluedigger]

4. Maybe both.

Let Mayfield "play for his lunch" as Peter King said. He's got one year left, I believe, on his contract. No way they should make an offer on a new contract yet.

[Auggie]

9. I agree -- give Mayfield another season. Sign a F.A. receiver. Get more help in the secondary.

[Diamond_Dog]

6. I couldn't have said it any better, Auggie.

Mayfield wanted to play even though he was hurt. Stefanski should have shut him down and played Keenum. A lot of the Browns’ woes are on Stefanski, IMO.

Getting rid of Beckham was a good move by mgmt. though.

[Auggie]

10. Thanks

The COVID thing is the most infuriating to me.

[exboyfil]

7. Mayfield is already guaranteed for next year

So I think it would be a mistake to move on. The Browns still have the franchise tag i so if he does well there is still some negotiation room. Keenum is a fine back up and a bridge if necessary.

[RockRaven]

11. It's a lot easier to be dissatisfied than it is to have a viable plan of what to do.

There are probably a dozen teams whose fans want to get rid of their starting QB, but there aren't a dozen QBs who aren't currently starting in the NFL better than those dozen guys who supposedly need replacing, just sitting around waiting for a job offer.

Those teams have to a) draft a QB, b) participate in the annual less-than-satisfying-QB-musical-chairs shuffle, or c) stick with what they've got.

If CLE were to move on from Mayfield, what would the plan be? Who could they realistically get? To me there isn't an obvious slam-dunk answer.

[YP_Yooper]

13. Exactly where the Steelers will be next year.

Trying to find a quality QB with slim pickin's

[Auggie]

15. Heh -- watch Mayfield end up in Pittsburgh

[YP_Yooper]

17. lol

would be their luck. Didn't the Browns look over Ben R in the draft? A lot of talent left to go to the Steelers over the years.

[Auggie]

18. Yeah. Browns drafted Kellen Winslow II in 2004 ...

that was the year they acquired Jeff Garcia. Garcia broke 49er passing records set by Joe Montana and Steve Young. Yet with Cleveland, in one game I recall, he managed a quarterback rating of 0 (zero). It was against Dallas.

Winslow suffered a leg injury the second game of his rookie season then was injured in a dirt bike accident his second season.

In 2005 the Browns chose wide receiver Braylon Edwards over Aaron Rodgers (the 49ers selected Alex Smith). Two bungles, though both teams were so dysfunctional it wouldn't have made a difference. Turned out great for Rodgers. And Rothlisberger.