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QB preview: Fans still optimistic about Baker Mayfield, but not as crazy as a year ago

Looking at fan expectations for the Browns’ QB position in 2020.

NFL: Cleveland Browns at Arizona Cardinals Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

We began our training camp preview this week, starting with the quarterback position. At the end of each preview, we include a few polls to gauge fan feedback heading into the season.

Our first poll for the quarterback position focused on Baker Mayfield’s expectations for the 2020 season:

Poll

What best describes your expectations for Baker Mayfield in 2020?

This poll is closed

  • 30%
    Pro Bowl quarterback, among the best in the AFC. A huge turnaround from 2020.
    (134 votes)
  • 62%
    A nice improvement from last year’s slump, playing his part in a more efficient Kevin Stefanski offense.
    (280 votes)
  • 4%
    The same issues from 2019 will be present, leading to frustration and some rumblings about his future.
    (18 votes)
  • 2%
    Terrible, and he’ll be benched for someone who has run the offense better in the past (Case Keenum).
    (13 votes)
445 votes total Vote Now

Overall, the expectations for Mayfield are still very high, as 93% of fans believe he will at least have a nice improvement from last year’s slump. When it comes to elite level expectations, only 31% of fans believe he will be a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback and among the best in the AFC.

Let’s compare that to the poll we ran prior to the 2019 season, though, where we asked, “Will Mayfield be a Top 5 QB in stats this year?” Even though it wasn’t stated, that question implies that a quarterback with those stats would be a Pro Bowler. In the 2019 poll, a staggering 84% of fans answered “Yes.”

I don’t think fans have soured on Mayfield at all. The expectations in 2019 were way too high and fans recognize that — but the optimism for his future is still maintained for 2020, as fans believe Kevin Stefanski will get him on the right track, much like he did with Kirk Cousins in Minnesota.

Our other poll asked which quarterback between Garrett Gilbert and Kevin Davidson fans would like to keep, if the team decides to keep one of them. 70% of fans said Gilbert, but Davidson already has a nice following with 30% of the vote despite being an undrafted rookie free agent.

Poll

If the Browns decided to keep either Garrett Gilbert or Kevin Davidson, who would you keep?

This poll is closed

  • 70%
    Garrett Gilbert
    (213 votes)
  • 29%
    Kevin Davidson
    (88 votes)
301 votes total Vote Now

Next up, we will begin previewing the running back position for the Browns.