Top draft picks Mayfield, Barkley show the goods
Baker Mayfield and Saquon Barkley lived up to early expectations as the top two picks in the NFL Draft in their first action as the Browns beat the Giants 20-10.
Replacing starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor late in the first quarter, Mayfield completed 11 of 20 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns and converted two fourth-down plays with his feet. The Heisman Trophy winner who was the No. 1 overall pick found tight end David Njoku on a 10-yard touchdown pass to cap a 14-play, 72-yard drive on his second series. He finished his debut with a completion on a 54-yard slant and run to fellow rookie Antonio Callaway.
Taylor, expected to be coach Hue Jackson’s starter as Mayfield learns this season, hit all five of his passes in two series, including a 36-yard touchdown pass to Njoku, a New Jersey native.
Barkley, the No. 2 pick, electrified the fans at MetLife Stadium, taking a handoff from Eli Manning on the opening play from scrimmage and turning no apparent hole into a 39-yard run down the sideline in front of the Giants’ bench. It set up a 42-yard field goal by Aldrick Rosas.
The Penn State running back finished with 43 yards on five carries.
Benjamin, Newton renew feud
Bills receiver Kelvin Benjamin’s feud with former teammate and Panthers quarterback Cam Newton continued before and during Carolina’s preseason-opening 28-23 victory against Buffalo. The two exchanged words on the field about 90 minutes before kickoff.
Tensions were raised a week ago, when Benjamin criticized Newton’s accuracy in an interview with The Athletic. Benjamin, who was traded to Buffalo in October, also questioned why the Panthers ever used a firstround pick to select him in the first round of the 2014 draft because he thought he wasn’t a good fit in the offense.
Tannehill has good start in return
Ryan Tannehill completed passes on the first four plays in his return from two serious knee injuries. He sparked a drive that ended with a missed field goal in his only series, and the Dolphins lost their exhibition opener to the Buccaneers 26-24. Tannehill was seeing his first action since December 2016 and finished 4-for-6 for 32 yards.
This and that
The Vikings lost a key member of their offensive line when left guard Nick Easton was placed on injured reserve because of a bulging disc in his neck. He started 12 games in 2017 and five games the year before, playing both center and guard.
♦ The Patriots will add $5 million in performance-based incentives to quarterback Tom Brady’s contract by this weekend.