Brees heaps praise on Browns’ Mayfield
If New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is right about rookie No. 1 overall draft pick Baker Mayfield, the Cleveland Browns will have found their long-term answer at the sport’s most important position.
“He can be a lot better than me,” Brees said with a laugh on Wednesday during a conference call with Browns beat writers. “He’s got all the tools. He’s more athletic. He probably can run around better. He’s got a stronger arm.”
Brees and Mayfield will meet for the first time on Sunday when the Browns (0-0-1) visit the New Orleans Saints (0-1). Brees said they have never talked to one another despite both of them hailing from Austin, Texas.
“Really impressed with the way that he plays his game,” Brees said of Mayfield, who has begun his career as the backup to starter Saints quarterback Drew Brees said he likes the physical tools and competitiveness that Browns rookie Baker Mayfield possesses. “He can be a lot better than me,” Brees said.
Tyrod Taylor. “I think he’s a great competitor. I’ve never met him, so I can’t say I know him at all, but that’s just my observations from afar. I think he’s going to be a real good professional quarterback. I love his competitiveness and his playmaking ability.”
Mayfield, just over 6 feet, is often compared to Brees, 6 feet, because
of their height.
“We call it the 6-foot-and-under club,” Brees said. “All the 6-foot guys, we kind of know what it’s like. We kind of have the chip on our shoulder ’cause we’ve heard it our whole life. I just kind of chuckle at it. Maybe it is something. Maybe it isn’t. But it gives us an edge.”
The Steelers removed Le’Veon Bell from their depth chart as the running back’s holdout extended into the second week of the regular season.
The end is not immediately apparent and the Groveport graduate again was a no-show at the team’s Wednesday morning meeting.
James Conner, who accounted for 192 total yards and two touchdowns last week for Pittsburgh, was listed as the team’s top back, with Jaylen Samuels and Stevan Ridley in backup roles.
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott said rookie quarterback Josh Allen will make his first career start on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Allen replaces second-year pro Nathan Peterman, who struggled badly in a 47-3 blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Peterman threw for 24 yards and two interceptions before being replaced by Allen in the second half.
McDermott declined to elaborate on his thought process behind the decision, instead saying it was “the right move” for his team more than 10 times.
Allen got a taste of regular-season action Sunday against Baltimore, entering the game when it was well out of reach in the third quarter. He showed some flashes while enduring his share of growing pains, completing 6 of 15 passes for 74 yards while being sacked three times.
Two days after their passing game went flat in the second half of a season-opening 33-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Oakland Raiders brought back receiver Martavis Bryant.
Bryant was with the Raiders in training camp after being acquired in a trade from Pittsburgh, but he was released on the final day of roster cutdowns. He signed a one-year contract and rejoined the team for practice Wednesday.