The Cleveland Browns have been the laughing stock of the NFL for decades now. Since 1990, the Browns have managed to only have three winning seasons. It was a franchise that seemed broken beyond repair.
From afar, the Browns were seen as a team that figuratively had the plague. No one wanted to go near them, as it would bring them nothing but despair.
They've searched for their franchise quarterback since Bernie Kosar, with little success. They've gone through guys like Tim Couch, Ty Detmer, Kelly Holcomb, Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Colt McCoy, etc.
The Browns have gone through quarterbacks and head coaches like a revolving door. But the revolving door is stuck in one place and it's unable to rotate, remaining stagnant.
You get the sense that this Browns franchise was cursed to the point of being incapable of finding the guy–at either head coach or quarterback. There's only so much one fan-base can take before they become restless.
In 2018, it was a changing of the guards for Cleveland, as they hired General Manager, John Dorsey. Dorsey came from the Kansas City Chiefs, where he was the GM from 2013-2016.
He changed the culture in Kansas City, turning them into a playoff team. He was hoping for the same success when taking the Browns job.
The Browns were in a good spot to select a quarterback with the first overall pick, once more. They selected Baker Mayfield, from the University of Oklahoma.
They took the guy they wanted all along, while also drafting well after that. Cleveland would also draft Denzel Ward (fourth overall pick) and Nick Chubb (35th overall pick).
Dorsey also worked his magic to land Jarvis Landry in a trade from the Miami Dolphins. You have to surround your franchise quarterback with weapons.
The mood of the fan-base and players seemed to take a turn for the better. The culture of the Browns was shifting, becoming a team that had a future.
The one guy that brought a winning attitude and a ton of swagger, was Mayfield. At Oklahoma, he grew accustomed to winning. He wanted to make that a reality in Cleveland as well, getting an opportunity to transform the Browns' misfortunes from years past.
To begin the season, Mayfield was holding the clipboard. He would watch from the sidelines as Tyrod Taylor would start the season under center. It wouldn't be long until he got his shot to showcase his talents though.
In Week 3, Taylor suffered an injury that would sideline him for the rest of the game. Mayfield stepped in and left his mark on the game. Down 14-0 in the second quarter, Mayfield would lead the Browns to their first win since 2016.
He gave the Browns faithful hope that things were going to change with his mere presence. That would hold true, after winning his second game just two weeks later, defeating the Baltimore Ravens.
At this point of the season, Mayfield has shown a lot to be positive about. In nine starts, he has 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Many in the media deemed him unfit to lead a team to success.
That has proven to be untrue in his young career. This team has a level of confidence that has been missing from this locker room for years.
His confidence and exuberance are contagious–shout out to Jarvis Landry–leaving a mark on his teammates. The Browns are no longer a team that are a guaranteed W on the schedule for opposing teams.
The reason for that, is they found their future signal-caller in Mayfield. In today's NFL, you need a quarterback that can play at a high-level to be successful.
OKAY, @BakerMayfield 😯
📺: FOX #Browns https://t.co/cybxoR05bW
— NFL (@NFL) November 11, 2018
Plays like these have the people of Cleveland jumping for joy knowing they have something to look forward to.
With having a 3-6-1 record, the Browns are essentially out of the playoff race this season. Next season though, they could very well make that leap to the postseason.
The postseason has eluded them for many years, failing to make it since 2002. With the talent they have mustered up in just one season, 2019 could be the year of the Browns.
Of course, that's not to say that they are in position to win a Super Bowl, but make the playoffs? Absolutely. Mayfield has had success on every field he has touched foot on.
Why would Cleveland be any different for him? It's hard to doubt a guy that works tirelessly to be great. When he has the weapons to surround him as well, that makes him even harder to doubt.
Give him an offseason to work at his craft and get even better. He could be mentioned in the same breath of the top young quarterbacks next year.
The one thing Mayfield continues to do is prove doubters wrong every single game. The doubters have become silent, with some of them becoming believers seemingly overnight.
With his winning mentality, talent, and swagger, the playoffs are a true possibility for the Browns. The Browns of old are no longer due to the arrival of Baker Mayfield.
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