Browns wisely sticking with Tyrod Taylor as starter over Baker Mayfield

Rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield has been impressive so far, but Tyrod Taylor is the best option for the 2018 season.

It’s understandable why many fans in Cleveland are clamoring for rookie Baker Mayfield to be named the starting quarterback for the Browns to begin the 2018 season. No fan base in the NFL has suffered more over the last two decades than that of the Browns, and many are still reeling from their 0-16 campaign last season.

At last, the Browns have landed a young quarterback in Mayfield who they hope will finally turn the franchise around, and the kid has performed impressively in training camp thus far, as well as the team’s first preseason game. It’s easy for fans to get anxious for the future to begin right away, but one of the most important things about being a sports fan is learning to be patient.

That’s what Browns fans have to learn to do with Mayfield because as much as they want to see him play, it’s not the right time for him to be handed the keys just yet. The Browns coaches feel the same way, as they plan on moving forward with former Buffalo Bills QB Tyrod Taylor as the starter for the 2018 season.

Mayfield was selected with the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he showed off his potential in Cleveland’s first preseason game against the New York Giants this week, completing 11 of 20 passes for 212 yards with two touchdowns in a 20-10 victory. He appears to be NFL ready, so it makes sense why many fans would wonder why he’s not getting the opportunity to start.

But even though he’s off to a great start in the preseason, history has proven that rushing rookie quarterbacks into action right away usually does more harm than good, especially when said quarterback is heaped with the expectations of being the team’s “savior.”

With a young player like Mayfield, who has somewhat of a reputation as a hothead, it’s best to make him wait for his opportunity and not let him feel like the team needs him. It will make him even hungrier for that opportunity when it comes.

“He’s had 22 NFL preseasons snaps,” quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese said after the game against the Giants, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “He has a long way to go and we’re encouraged with where he’s at right now.”

Meanwhile, Taylor is the perfect option for the Browns to use for the short-term future. He’s an experienced player, having been the starter for the Bills for the last three years and even leading them to a playoff appearance last season. For a team that is trying to pick itself up off the ground, Taylor is the right guy to have out there in 2018, not the 23-year-old rookie.

But rest assured, Mayfield will get his opportunity soon enough. Browns fans just have to keep being patient.