National Football League

Baker Mayfield or the field? Colin Cowherd debates the Browns QB's value

Published Feb. 23, 2021 8:20 p.m. ET

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It's no secret Colin Cowherd has thoughts about Baker Mayfield.

And this week, Colin played a brand new game called "Mayfield or the Field" on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd."

The rules are simple: for the next five years, who would Colin rather have as his franchise quarterback in the NFL between Mayfield and one of his contemporaries?

Let's dive in.

QB: Lamar Jackson
Team: Baltimore Ravens
Colin's pick: Jackson

"Lamar Jackson's won 80% of his games. Lamar Jackson does something better than any football quarterback in the history of the sport: moves. This is not close."

QB: Justin Herbert
Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Colin's pick: Herbert

"Not a GM in the league would take Baker Mayfield over Justin Herbert. He's bigger, he's stronger, he was a 4.0 student. He set every rookie touchdown record they ever created. Herbert by a mile."

QB: Derek Carr
Team: Las Vegas Raiders
Colin's pick: Carr

"Last two years, Derek Carr is 101 passer rating, three times the TDs over picks. It ain't close. Derek Carr."

QB: Jimmy Garoppolo
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Colin's pick: Garoppolo

"Now, this is the rub: Jimmy gets hurt a lot. I'm not disputing that, and that worries me. But the Niners are awful without him, and we know that the roster's good and Shanahan is good.

"I'd take Garoppolo for the next five years and roll the dice on his health."

QB: Matt Ryan
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Colin's pick: Ryan

"MVP, Super Bowl, multiple playoffs wins. Matt Ryan is 35, he's not 39. Now if I sign him for five years, the last years may be nonsense. I'll make a prediction: Matt Ryan with Arthur Smith – the coach – he's going to have two really good years. He finally gets an offensive coach. We're all going to like Matt Ryan by November again."

QB: Kyler Murray
Team: Arizona Cardinals
Colin's pick: Murray

"Again, Kyler does some things spectacularly. He's not there yet, but he had a big jump rookie year to last year."

QB: Dak Prescott
Team: Dallas Cowboys
Colin's pick: Prescott

"I think Dak's a better athlete. I think he's more mature. I feel ... in the locker room, he's loved by everybody. I think Baker's got some critics inside that locker room."

QB: Ryan Tannehill
Team: Tennessee Titans
Colin's pick: Tannehill

"I got to be honest with you, [Ryan Tannehill] often plays trailing because of that crappy defense. Tannehill is probably the most underrated quarterback in the league today."

QB: Kirk Cousins
Team: Minnesota Vikings
Colin's pick: Cousins

"Close – I would take the maturity and the accuracy of Kirk Cousins. I don't think there's a huge gap. Kirk drives me nuts in big games, but Baker doesn't have a history of winning big games either."

QB: Tua Tagovailoa
Team: Miami Dolphins
Colin's pick: Mayfield

"I'd take Baker – I don't know if Tua can play. I don't see a lot of special with Tua. I think the Dolphins have questions. I think Baker's got a little more 'it' factor."

QB: Joe Burrow
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Colin's pick: Burrow

"I think Burrow's really special. I thought Burrow would be a good NFL quarterback – I think I made a mistake. I think he's really, really special."

QB: Carson Wentz
Team: Indianapolis Colts
Colin's pick: Wentz

"Carson's a much bigger, stronger, better athlete. This moment, a lot of people would go Baker. ... He was an MVP for 10 weeks two years ago. He was literally – when he had Frank Reich – he was the MVP of the entire league."

QB: Jared Goff
Team: Detroit Lions
Colin's pick: Mayfield

"I think Baker's five years with Kevin Stefanski will be better than Goff's five years with Fred Flintstone in Detroit."

QB: Ben Roethlisberger
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Colin's pick: Mayfield

"I'm out on Big Ben – and I think Baker works harder than Big Ben. I would move off Big Ben, so I would take Baker."

QB: Matthew Stafford
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Colin's pick: Stafford

"I think Stafford is a much better talent. Stafford has the most game-winning drives, 36, in the last decade."

QB: ​​​​​​​Mitch Trubisky
Team: Chicago Bears
Colin's pick: Mayfield

"I think Baker can make big-time throws. There are things I worry about with Baker – he's not the athlete he thinks he is, but he makes big-time throws, and I think Trubisky is limited as a thrower of the football."

QB: ​​​​​​​Tom Brady
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Colin's pick: Brady

"Tom Brady will be great next year, and you imagine because of his work ethic, he'll be good the following two. I couldn't give a rip the last two."

Check out Colin's entire breakdown below: 

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in this topic

National Football League

Baker Mayfield

Cleveland Browns

Derek Carr

Las Vegas Raiders

Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Jared Goff

Tom Brady

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Matthew Stafford

Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens

Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals

Jimmy Garoppolo

San Francisco 49ers

Matt Ryan

Atlanta Falcons

Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys

Ryan Tannehill

Tennessee Titans

Kirk Cousins

Minnesota Vikings

Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins

Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals

Carson Wentz

Indianapolis Colts

Ben Roethlisberger

Pittsburgh Steelers

Mitchell Trubisky

Chicago Bears