Yahoo Sports Browns GM confident in Baker Mayfield, expects him to 'play his best football' after bye
It's been a rough, injury-filled season for Baker Mayfield, but Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry remains confident about his quarterback's ability to play well and deliver the wins the team needs over the final five games of the season.
Berry was supportive of Mayfield during a media session on Wednesday, setting expectations that he knows Mayfield can meet after he rests up during the Browns' Week 13 bye.
#Browns GM Andrew Berry: "(Baker) has had stretches this year where he has played well for us. He's worked through injuries. We expect him to play his best football here down the stretch after the bye."
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) December 1, 2021
Berry also squashed any rumor about Mayfield being benched. As long as he's healthy enough to start, Mayfield is their man.
Andrew Berry on the Browns sticking with Baker throughout the season: "Baker's our quarterback. He's healthy enough to win games for us. He's won games for us in the past couple of weeks. If he's ready to go, he's going to be our starter."
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) December 1, 2021
Mayfield has played through multiple injuries this season, including issues with his shoulder and foot. Those have impacted his level of play, but not to a level that concerns Berry, who said that if a player is starting while not fully healthy, he's out there because he can still play at the highest level.
Browns' Andrew Berry said that it's the Browns' expectation that if a player plays through an injury, he'll do so at a winning level. Said the Browns wouldn't put an player on the field if they didn't think he could.
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) December 1, 2021
Berry looking at big picture with Mayfield
It's not the most opportune time for Mayfield to have a rough season. His contract with the Browns lasts through 2022, but what happens after that is a big question mark. With no long-term extension on the books, the final five games of the season could be critical to Mayfield's future.
But Berry isn't taking that view. He's not going to focus solely on the final five games of the 2021 season. Instead he's going to look at Mayfield's career as a whole as he and ownership make decisions about the future.
Browns' Andrew Berry on Baker Mayfield's future: "With Baker, from a long-term perspective, you try to take a big picture. With any player, it's about the body of work over several years... we've seen Baker play good football here and play good football this season."
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) December 1, 2021
Berry emphasized that the final handful of games are about what the team as a whole can accomplish, and not about any specific player.
Browns' Andrew Berry on needing to see Baker play: "You really try to take a wider lens. Our focus is on playing our best football in December and positioning ourselves to play in the postseason. That really outsizes any individual player decision we make a cross the roster."
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) December 1, 2021
