The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
QB coach: Taylor is an ‘untapped player’
Zampese says QB is a leader, and this season ‘is the only year that matters’
Tyrod Taylor posted a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in two series in the Browns preseason opener Aug. 9, and nothing about the performance was fluky, says quarterback coach Ken Zampese.
Taylor was 22-20 as a starting quarterback for the Bills before the Browns acquired him on March 15. But he has never been recognized as one of better quarterbacks in the league, in part because he played in Buffalo and in part because he never passed for more than 3,100 yards in a season. He threw only 17 and 14 touchdown passes his last two years with the Bills.
Last season Taylor helped Buffalo end a 17-year playoff drought, but the Bills were only 9-7 and had to go to the fourth tiebreaker – strength of schedule – to eliminate the Ravens for the sixth spot in the East.
The Bills were knocked out by Jacksonville, 10-3, in a wildcard game.
Taylor was 17 of 37 for 134 yards with one interception.
Still, the Browns thought enough of Taylor to anoint him the starter in March, knowing they were going to use the first pick in the draft on a quarterback. That pick turned out to be Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield.
“I think it’s the tip of the iceberg for Tyrod,” said Zampese, referring to Taylor going 5-for-5 for 99 yards and a touchdown against the Giants. “I think
he’s an untapped player in the league. He’s done some really nice things so far in the league and I think it’s only going to get better.”
Taylor is in the final year of a contract he signed while with the Bills. There are rumblings the Browns want to sign him to an extension, but what would that mean for next season?
Head coach Hue Jackson, as he has for five months, once again after practice on Aug. 12 said nothing has changed. Taylor will be the starting quarterback for 2018. Mayfield is the backup.
“That’s not the way we look at it at all,” Zampese
said when asked about the impression Taylor is keeping the seat warm for Mayfield. “I think he’s going to be very successful for us this year, which is the only year that matters. And I like where he’s at. I like where he’s going. I love his leadership, the way he’s aggressively going about being the leader of this team, completing balls and moving us down the field.”
Taylor engineered a hurry-up, no huddle offense on the Browns’ second possession. He went 4-for-4 and finished it off with a 36-yard touchdown pass to tight end David Njoku against the Giants starters.
Mayfield took over after the second series and threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Njoku.
Njoku’s father was tribal chief in Nigeria before moving his family to the United States. Perhaps it was from his father that the Browns’ tight end learned to give politically correct answers.
“They’re both pretty good quarterbacks, great quarterbacks,” Njoku said when asked about Taylor and Mayfield. “They’re very accurate, very smart, intelligent football players, and I’m just excited to see how they progress.”
Mayfield, though, will have to wait his turn.