Conversation about Baker Mayfield continued to drown out conversation about Jacoby Brissett in the buildup to Sunday's season-opener against the Carolina Panthers. (Panthers.com)
Browns not relying on personal opinions in preparing for Baker Mayfield
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
After four years together – two with the current coaching regime -- the Browns know Baker Mayfield better than anybody. Yet they’re not taking anything for granted in preparing to defend their former quarterback in the season-opener against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, NC, on Sunday.
They’re watching preseason video of Mayfield’s limited action in two preseason games (13 of 22 for 134 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions). They’re relying on their own experiences in two years of practices with him. And they’re watching video of Browns games with Mayfield at the helm.
“I think we can learn from every game. We have a lot of tape on him,” linebacker Anthony Walker said. “[Browns game video] is included. A lot.”
“Yeah,” coach Kevin Stefanski affirmed.
“When you are studying any of the players, I think you have to look at the full body of work. Obviously with Baker, we had two years of work with him in our offense. You watch the preseason. You definitely go back and study players. You want to have as big of a sample size as possible to prepare for a guy.”
The Browns merely have to study how the Pittsburgh Steelers haunted Mayfield over the past four years by keeping him in the pocket, raising their arms to block his vision on the pass rush to him, and batting and tipping his passes.
In eight games against the Steelers, including his career high-point playoff triumph, Mayfield completed 141 of 248 passes (56.8 percent) for 1,557 yards, 12 touchdowns, six interceptions. He was sacked 29 times and had a passer rating of 81.67. The Browns scored fewer than 20 points in five of the eight games. Mayfield was 3-5 against the Steelers.
What do the Browns see in Mayfield in a Carolina uniform?
“What, we saw 2-3 series in the preseason? He looks good,” Walker said.
Walker wouldn’t bite on a question about whether Mayfield was more dangerous outside the pocket.
“I’ve seen him make every throw. I’ve seen him stand in the pocket, take a hit, make a great throw. Roll out, make a great throw. We have to be ready to defend all angles of that,” he said.
Stefanski was diplomatic, as you would expect.
“Really good football player,” he said. “Has made a ton of plays. Can make plays on schedule or off schedule. A ton of arm talent. We have our work cut out for us.”
Off the leash
In Carolina, Mayfield said the “Off the Leash” T-shirts he’s hawking on social media, complete with “subliminal” digs at being freed from the Dawg Pound, were conceived by his marketing team and not necessarily his brainchild.
“I wish I could say I came up with T-shirts. I have a good team behind me,” he said at his mid-week press conference. “They put a few little hidden messages of, like, just my history, subliminal stuff in there. They do a good job. I think people back home and people who’ve been following me like it. It’s just a fun thing to do.”
When pressed about the design of the T-shirts -- which included a studded dog collar, a doghouse surrounded by bones, and broken chains – Mayfield sighed and said, “I didn’t have any say in it. I don’t get paid to make T-shirts. I get paid to play football and have fun with my buddies.”
The “off the leash” concept also may be viewed as a subtle swipe at Stefanski’s offensive system, which sought to reinvent Mayfield the gunslinger into Mayfield the game manager.
The two men clashed last year as their partnership dissolved.
In the context of questions about Carolina coordinator Ben McAdoo’s offensive system, Mayfield said, “This system, I think, is going to fit me well. Just being able to play free.
“I’m still going to be aggressive when it comes down to it. Statistically, I’ve improved each year. In my mind, I don’t really count last year because of the injuries, things like that. Hopefully, going forward, this is a system I deal with for a longer time period instead of having to change each year.”
Oh, yeah, that other quarterback
Jacoby Brissett held court in the locker room – open to the media for the first time since Dec. 30, 2019 – in his role as replacement starter for suspended Deshaun Watson.
On Sunday, Brissett becomes the 33rd quarterback to start a game for the Browns in the expansion era and the 18th different quarterback to start a season-opener.
“I think I have grown but still more room for improvement,” he said. “Obviously, a new week and a new opponent that presents different problems and things that we have to take care of. Looking forward to it.”
Brissett wouldn’t say if he would have liked more than one appearance in three preseason games. He produced three points in six series against the Chicago Bears.
“Like I said previously, we have had a plan together,” he said. “I think our training camp practices reflected our plan. Like I said, I am looking forward to the opportunity. Have another good week of preparation coming up. When Sunday gets here, we will be ready to go.”
With all the attention on Mayfield, it still was surprising that Stefanski was not asked a single question about Brissett in his 15-minute press conference.
Brownie bits
For the first time in Stefanski’s three years, the Browns elected captains. They are Joel Bitonio, Nick Chubb, Myles Garrett, Anthony Walker and Charley Hughlett. “I thought it was something that we should do this year,” Stefanski said. “I do think it says a lot about those players – those players that would represent us before the game and go out there. It says a lot about who you are.” …
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (sickness) was the only player to not practice. Stefanski said he expected Clowney back soon …
Right tackle Jack Conklin (knee) was limited. Stefanski would not say if Conklin would play. If he does play, it’s possible it wouldn’t be for a normal 100 percent snap count. “Those are obviously things that we are talking about,” the coach said. “I would just tell you, with Jack, he has worked very, very hard this offseason and he continues to work hard. He is progressing.” …
Although assorted offensive assistants had opportunities to call plays in the preseason games, Stefanski asserted that he would remain the offensive play-caller now that the games are counting …
One of the mild surprises at the end of camp was Walker staving off Jacob Phillips for the starting middle linebacker spot. Stefanski said some non-starters will play “a ton,” and those included Phillips, safety Ronnie Harrison, and cornerback Greedy Williams. “Just because Anthony is the ‘starter’ does not mean that Jacob does not have a huge role for us moving forward. He is going to help us win,” Stefanski said …
Running back Nick Chubb had a Yogi Berra quote when asked if he expected “something special” from the emotional Mayfield in the game. “We all know Baker. So I don’t know what to expect,” Chubb said.
