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The Cleveland Browns have been eliminated from the playoffs and will now focus on the offseason. It was a tough year for this franchise as they couldn't get any momentum going. Baker Mayfield played through numerous injuries, but it sounds like the coaching staff should have made a smarter decision.
According to Pro Football Talk, backup quarterback Case Keenum claims, “There were some weeks, getting (Baker Mayfield) onto the field was a small miracle.” If that's true, then this is a terrible look for the Browns coaching staff. Keenum proved he was capable of leading the offense for a short time.
A three-week trip on the IR might have been exactly what Baker Mayfield needed. Due to the coaching staff's incompetence, they risked Mayfield's health and could have been the reason why Cleveland missed out on the playoffs altogether.
Regardless, Case Keenum was impressed with Mayfield this year, despite the flack the Browns quarterback has received, per Jake Trotter.
Case Keenum on Baker: “One of the gustiest, toughest performances from a quarterback in a season I’ve ever seen. … one of the toughest guys I know. He’s a fighter and came to fight every day. … Tremendous amount of respect for him and it grew.” #Browns
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) January 5, 2022
Baker Mayfield dealt with multiple injuries that would sideline most players. He stayed on the field and played through the pain. He definitely deserves credit for his efforts. However, that doesn't clear Kevin Stefanski and the Browns' coaching staff for their decision to keep him on the field.
We'll see how the offseason plays out, as Mayfield's career with the Browns is up in the air. He's good enough to be a starting quarterback in this league, but Cleveland might believe it's time to move on. If he hits the free-agent market, there will be plenty of other teams interested in acquiring Baker Mayfield.
