Report: Baker Mayfield Has 'Long Way to Go' to Earn Browns' Starting QB Job

Baker Mayfield isn't expected to become the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback anytime soon.

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reported the 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick is getting second-team reps, but he "has a long way to go to unseat Tyrod Taylor as the starter."

The Browns acquired Taylor in a March trade, sending the Buffalo Bills a third-round pick.

"I made a commitment to [Taylor], and he has held up his end of the bargain with not just the way he works but the way he plays and the way he leads," head coach Hue Jackson said this week.

This is in line with how Jackson has viewed the quarterback battle the entire offseason, naming Taylor the starter immediately after the trade. The mindset didn't change even after taking a quarterback with the first overall pick.

Taylor has started 43 of the 44 games he has played over the last three years in Buffalo, leading his team to a 22-20 record in this stretch.

Still, it is at least encouraging that Mayfield has seemingly passed Drew Stanton on the depth chart. The veteran has been in the league for 11 seasons and has been a reliable backup, but there would be a concern if the Browns saw him as a better option than the rookie.

Mayfield can take his time adjusting to the NFL before taking over as the starter once he is ready.