BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns have exercised the fifth-year choice on the contract of quarterback Baker Mayfield, the staff stated Friday.
The transfer extends Mayfield’s contract in Cleveland via 2022, when he’ll make $18.86 million.
The staff additionally exercised the fifth-year choice on cornerback Denzel Ward, the No. four total choose three years in the past.
“Each of these gamers have actually finished a pleasant job for us over the primary three years,” basic supervisor Andrew Berry stated Friday. “We view each of these guys as younger gamers who proceed to ascend.”
Final season, Mayfield — the No. 1 choose of the 2018 NFL draft — quarterbacked the Browns to their first playoff victory in 26 years. In that 48-37 win over the Steelers, Mayfield handed for 263 yards and three touchdowns because the Browns snapped a 17-game shedding streak in Pittsburgh throughout their first playoff look since 2002.
Mayfield completed final season ranked 10th within the league in QBR, with 26 landing passes and solely eight interceptions. From Week 7 to Week 15, he was truly third in QBR, trailing solely final season’s MVP (Aaron Rodgers) and the 2019 MVP (Patrick Mahomes).
Coming off a season by which he broke an NFL rookie file with 27 landing passes, Mayfield struggled at occasions in 2019, because the Browns completed a disappointing 6-10. However enjoying for a fourth head coach in his third season, Mayfield thrived underneath first-time head coach Kevin Stefanski final 12 months.
“I hope it’s considerably higher,” Stefanski stated this week, when requested about Mayfield bettering with one other season in his scheme. “He has heard these performs over and over. We have now streamlined ideas, and we’ve got tried to regulate what we do primarily based on his strengths and our gamers’ strengths. I’d hope he’s way more snug from that perspective. That’s what time permits you to do — time collectively.”
When he took over, Mayfield turned Cleveland’s 30th beginning quarterback for the reason that franchise returned to the league in 1999.
Mayfield can be eligible for an extension, which the staff may interact him on later this offseason.