Baker Mayfield knows quarterbacks carry more responsibility than other positions.
The Browns rookie knows they take the most blame for losses and glory for wins. He knows they're the face of every team. But as he's learning this year, they're also compared to other quarterbacks.
Comparisons between he and Drew Brees dominated headlines leading up to Browns-Saints in Week 2 before Mayfield had taken a snap. Mayfield was asked more questions about Patrick Mahomes than the Chiefs defense leading up to last week's matchup. And this week, despite a stark contrast in size and playing styles, Mayfield was asked if he's ever studied Matt Ryan on tape.
"I have not," Mayfield said. "I've just enjoyed watching him play at a high level consistently."
That's his relationship with most of his peers: He's watched them for years and admires them from afar, but much like them, he's too consumed with his own offense to worry about theirs. He'll only go as far as checking statistics for his fellow draft classmates.
"(I'm) not comparing," Mayfield said. "Not worried about that, worried about the Cleveland Browns."
The Browns do have to worry about the opposing quarterbacks, though. And this Sunday presents another doozy.
Ryan will mark the fourth Super Bowl- or MVP-winning quarterback the Browns have played this season (that does not include Mahomes or Phillip Rivers, both of whom could win the Super Bowl, MVP or both this season), and while he doesn't measure himself against them, Mayfield revels in every opportunity to challenge great players.
"Those are guys that I've watched for years," Mayfield said. "Watching their game — how they lead, how they execute, how they control the game — (there are) different things I could take away from each guy. It's been fun to compete against them."
Mayfield knows about the perks that come with franchise-quarterback status, too. He took a helmet-to-helmet hit again Sunday. And again, it wasn't flagged. But the officials did force him to the sideline for a concussion test when they saw him fixing his helmet.
College officials knew Mayfield as the quarterback who broke records. They viewed Mayfield among the elite. Mayfield plans on joining that professional tier one day, but those comparisons are premature.
"I think as the years go on, I'll get better relationships (with the officials)," Mayfield said. "And we'll see as it goes (as) we improve as a team, too."
