The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Mayfield named backup quarterback
Browns coach Hue Jackson named Baker Mayfield the backup quarterback. “It’s Baker. Baker is there. We haven’t played a regular-season game yet so we will see how that all unfolds . ... ”
This isn’t a hold-on-to-the-table-for-support shocker, but Baker Mayfield has been declared the backup to starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor, Browns coach Hue Jackson said after practice Aug. 26.
Moments later, Jackson said he wanted to tell the team first to make the announcement official, but the toothpaste was out of the tube.
Prior to the preseason game with the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 17, Jackson added a little intrigue to training camp by saying he wanted to see veteran quarterback Drew Stanton in action before naming Taylor’s backup. Stanton was 0 for 4 against the Bills in the only two series he played at the end of the game. He entered the game against the Eagles with 7:49 remaining and the Browns leading, 5-0.
He played two series again and was 1 for 3 for 7 yards.
“I think that I already proved who that is,” Jackson said on Aug. 26 when asked about Taylor’s backup. “It’s Baker. Baker is there. We haven’t played a regularseason game yet so we will see how that all unfolds. I feel good about the things that Baker went in and did in the game.”
Mayfield, the rookie from Oklahoma picked first overall in the 2018 draft, was 8 of 12 for 76 yards. He threw one interception and was sacked twice.
“I pretty much have my mind made up on where that is,” Jackson said. “I haven’t said it officially so you guys can write it. I like to tell my team first before I make those decisions on what we’re doing. We will kind of go from there.”