The Browns will go into the 2018 NFL season with their 29th starting quarterback in 20 years. For now, given coach Hue Jackson has said it at least three times, Tyrod Taylor is likely to start in Week 1 over Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
If so, Cleveland finally will go into a season without being clueless at the most important position.
Starting with their Tim Couch selection at the top of the 1999 NFL Draft, the Browns have consistently whiffed on their QB decisions over the last two decades. They've either played rookies too early or waited too long. They've gone through veteran stopgap after veteran stopgap. In the best times, they've gotten lucky with Kelly Holcomb, their lone playoff starter, and Derek Anderson, their lone Pro Bowl starter.
Although Mayfield has a higher upside than that of the four first-rounders who came before him (Couch, Brady Quinn, Brandon Weeden and Johnny Manziel), Jackson is right in not rushing the rookie into action. Taylor is not some recycled starting option; he's a legitimate one who suddenly puts the Browns in the top half of the league when it comes to starting QBs.
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Taylor turns 29 in August, and going into his fourth season as a starter, that puts him in his prime playing years. He was good enough to earn a Pro Bowl selection in his first season with Buffalo in 2015 and has put up comparable numbers since. He arrives in Cleveland fresh off his first playoff action as a starter.
Taylor's experience with the Bills also helps him prepare for his situation with the Browns. The ridiculous benching of Taylor in favor of Nathan Peterman last season sets up the former to work against the threat of Mayfield.
"I'm going to continue to keep pushing, continue to keep working the way I do — ready to take my game to the next level," Taylor told reporters as OTAs opened this week. "I've been able to take steps in the right direction each year that I've been able to play the game. So I'm excited about the opportunity that I have here. There's so much talent on this team and guys that are in the right mind-set."
In Buffalo, beyond the running of LeSean McCoy and himself, Taylor worked with a limited offense. The lack of threats in the Bills' receiving corps, further hampered by the trade of Sammy Watkins last offseason, are part of the reason Taylor's yards per attempt saw a big drop.
In Cleveland, Taylor will get to flex his big arm with Josh Gordon as his No. 1 outside receiver. At the same time, he can maintain his efficiency on shorter routes with inside wideout Jarvis Landry.
Taylor also is adept at working the ball downfield to his tight end, which will help the Browns get more out of second-year first-rounder David Njoku. With Carlos Hyde, Duke Johnson Jr. and Nick Chubb, Taylor will benefit from a good, traditional rushing attack.
Overall, given how new offensive coordinator Todd Haley likes to push the ball downfield while taking advantage of a quarterback's mobility, Taylor is a perfect fit. Mayfield can become that kind of player in time, but there's no reason to rush him into action. Jackson has left the door slightly ajar for Mayfield to compete for the job as a motivational tool for his development, but Taylor should keep it shut.
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The Bills ran hot-and-cold on Taylor as their starter with the perception that the QB had already hit his ceiling. But the reality is it was hard for Taylor to max out his abilities under three different offensive coordinators and with dwindling personnel. A more settled situation with the Browns should help him succeed.
Taylor has one year left on his contract, and with Mayfield waiting, there's a good chance Cleveland will not re-sign the veteran after 2018. That's another source of motivation for Taylor to put all his energy into using the Browns' support to secure him a longer starting gig, probably elsewhere.
The Browns — especially Jackson — needed Taylor for this one season. The coach somehow has survived a record of 1-31 in two years, so rushing Mayfield into action and having the rookie take early lumps (aka losses) is a good way for Jackson to get himself fired before midseason.
Cleveland has a real chance to triple its combined win total from the past two seasons and flirt with a 6-10 record. The team has gotten that much better on both sides of the ball under new general manager John Dorsey.
Taylor gives the Browns the ideal blend of caretaker and playmaker they have been missing for years. Thanks to him, sitting a rookie who's supposed to be the future of the franchise is a rare no-brainer. From now through the preseason, let's hope Jackson doesn't let anything bend his mind.
