Cleveland Browns

Browns should stick with Mayfield, Broussard says

Updated Jan. 4, 2022 1:05 p.m. ET

Baker Mayfield is having an unceremonious end to his fourth professional season.

The first pick of the 2018 NFL Draft will watch his Cleveland Browns finish under .500 for the third time in four seasons, just one year after they put together an impressive 11-5 regular-season campaign and earned the organization's first playoff win since 1994.

Now, the Browns will miss the playoffs for the 18th time in the past 20 years, after entering this season with Super Bowl aspirations –– and the conversations about Mayfield's future in Cleveland are reaching a climax.

Turnovers have been the central theme of what has plagued Mayfield during the second half of the season. Through his first seven starts of the season, Mayfield accumulated eight passing touchdowns and three interceptions. But over his last six starts, Mayfield nine TDs and 10 INTs, including four in a Week 16 loss at Green Bay and two in Monday's loss at Pittsburgh.

The question of the morning on Tuesday's edition of "First Things First" was whether or not the Browns should move on from Mayfield after this season, and Chris Broussard offered this opinion: If you can't do astronomically better, then stand pat.

"If I can't get Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or Deshaun Watson, I'm keeping Baker," Broussard said. "I'm not moving on from him for another mediocre, slightly above average QB or an unproven backup."

Chris Broussard: Browns should stick with Baker Mayfield despite a disappointing season I FIRST THINGS FIRST

Despite a season full of injuries, struggles and disappointing losses, Chris Broussard wouldn't advise the Cleveland Browns to move off of Baker Mayfield just yet.

Reports have circulated throughout the season that it could be Rodgers' last season in Green Bay. There have also been constant discussions about Wilson's reported unhappiness in Seattle, and Watson didn't play a single snap in Houston this season amid legal troubles.

Broussard also considered Mayfield's health in analyzing Cleveland's decision whether to extend their QB or not as he enters his fifth pro season.

"He was tough. He showed that grit by playing through injuries this season, but I've also gotta take into consideration that he is injured, and that had a lot to do with his performance."

Mayfield, among other injuries, battled through a banged-up shoulder during the second half of the season.

Lastly, Broussard looked at the city of Cleveland and outlined his uncertainty as to whether it could even land a big-name free agent QB to replace Mayfield based on its statistics.

"Cleveland is an awesome city, but everybody doesn't know that. And because of its location, because of its bad reputation, because of its last 50 years of essentially football futility, it is not a destination franchise."