Cleveland Browns Must Draft a QB on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft

The mere mention of Baker Mayfield on social media will cause an avalanche of responses from the internet ether. He's easily one of the NFL's most divisive figures. 

Mayfield also serves as the most logical path forward for the Cleveland Browns in 2022.

But the organization shouldn't bank on a bounce-back year without having a contingency plan. A quarterback selection on Day 2 of April's draft will create competition and a fallback option at the game's most important position. It would also give the 2018 No. 1 overall pick an opportunity to prove himself during the fifth year of his rookie contract. 

The commitment the organization already made to Mayfield is an important part of this approach. No franchise should become beholden to the sunk-cost fallacy, but multiple factors will come into play in this situation, starting with the quarterback's contractual status. 

A year ago, a Mayfield extension after a standout 2021 season seemed inevitable. After all, Cleveland appeared to be a team on the rise, as it was coming off a playoff victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers and gave the Kansas City Chiefs all they could handle in the divisional round.

From Week 7 on, the league MVP, Aaron Rodgers, was the only quarterback to receive a higher passing grade than Mayfield, according to Pro Football Focus. The 2017 Heisman Trophy winner also set the NFL rookie record with 27 touchdown passes in 2018 (which Justin Herbert surpassed two years later with 31). 

Cleveland had every reason to believe in its supposed franchise quarterback.

All the goodwill both the team and its quarterback built disappeared rather quickly during a disappointing 8-9 campaign, though. Mayfield garnered and deserved the lion's share of the blame after he regressed. The quarterback suffered a torn labrum and fractured humerus bone in his non-throwing shoulder in Week 2 and never looked the same for the rest of the season.

Bad habits developed, and previous issues in his mechanics became exacerbated. His feet were rarely tied to his upper body, which created off-target throws and turnovers even when certain attempts were available. In fact, Mayfield's 56 interceptions are the most by any quarterback since he entered the league. 

The give-and-take with him can be maddening. Some might look at this season's injuries—which extended to a balky knee and heel bruise—and excuse some of the quarterback's play

Backup quarterback Case Keenum told reporters after the season:

"I did have a front-row seat to one of the gutsiest, toughest performances of a quarterback playing in a season that I have ever seen. ... I think his entire season he was battling a lot of things. He is one of the toughest guys I know, and he is a fighter. He came to fight every single day and pushed through a lot of adversity just to get on the field on Sundays."

Steven Senne/Associated Press

Even so, Mayfield took the field almost every week and needed to produce. He didn't. 

The Browns now reside in the worst possible spot for any franchise: They're mediocre and lack a clear picture of what to do behind center. Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Herbert aren't leaving the AFC anytime soon. Every other team in the conference is playing catch-up. 

Viable alternatives aren't readily available either. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson aren't guaranteed to go anywhere, and Cleveland wouldn't top the star duo's list of potential suitors even if they did. The Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders sit in a similar position to the Browns with Kirk Cousins and Derek Carr. Jimmy Garoppolo, who expects to be traded, proved he's every bit as limiting as he is helpful during the San Francisco 49ers' success in recent years. 

The NFL remains a league of haves and have-nots. Either a team has a true franchise quarterback or it doesn't. The position serves as the delineation between those organizations that legitimately compete for Super Bowls on a yearly basis and those that don't.

In Cleveland, Mayfield could still turn out to be the guy, depending on which version shows up this fall. But he still has a lot to prove and has only one remaining season to do so. General manager Andrew Berry, meanwhile, can't leave this offseason without another option in case things go south. The Browns have too much talent to waste it for a second straight season. 

Mayfield will almost certainly be the starter unless something drastic occurs. The team previously believed in him and already picked up his fifth-year option. However, these things don't mean Berry and Co. should be content. 

Keenum, who turns 34 next month, is an excellent backup. At the same time, he doesn't have upside as a starter. Besides, the Browns can release him and save $7.1 million instead of having him absorb $8.4 million of the upcoming salary cap. 

The Browns are essentially left with one proper way to address the position while still moving forward with Mayfield in the short term: the draft.

Former NFL general manager Ron Wolf believed in drafting a quarterback every year. Others no longer adhere to this approach, but it's logical. Wolf had Brett Favre in place, and the ironman never missed games. Yet, the Packers benefited multiple times from drafting and developing other signal-callers, only to ship them elsewhere. 

While the situation isn't exactly the same in Cleveland, the Browns can adhere to Wolf's tactic to build the most competitive, talented quarterback room possible for the upcoming season and possibly longer. 

Here's the catch: A suspect quarterback class should prevent the Browns from considering any prospect in the first round. Instead, the addition of a premium wide receiver to help Mayfield or another pass-rusher to replace Jadeveon Clowney should take priority. 

Day 2 should be the sweet spot, as Cleveland has three selections among the second and third rounds. (The Browns are expected to receive a compensatory pick for the development of executive Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, whom the Minnesota Vikings hired as their general manager this offseason.) 

Because of the uncertainty surrounding this year's quarterback class, how the prospects stack up individually and where they could fall is dubious at best. Will a team take a chance on one of these prospects much earlier than expected? Who could be on the board much later than projected? No one even knows who QB1 is yet. The designation will vary, depending on which team board is being discussed. 

Last week's Senior Bowl didn't clear up matters. 

Butch Dill/Associated Press

One NFC executive told CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, "Coming off last week, you'd have to say that [Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett is] the guy."

La Canfora's report went on to say Pickett could be selected as high as sixth overall. 

But an AFC executive told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler: "[Liberty's Malik Willis] played better last year than this year, but he's super athletic, runs well and has a quick release. That's going to be tough for some to ignore."

The Browns can take advantage of the uncertainty if something unexpected occurs. While this class certainly presents question marks, there's something to like about each of the top QB prospects. 

Willis has the most upside as a raw athlete who possesses high-end arm talent. Buzz built at the Mobile, Alabama, showcase that he could be the first quarterback off the board. 

The dichotomy between these two prospects is fascinating since Pickett is often considered the most pro-ready option, but he has the lowest ceiling, while Willis is jam-packed with potential but might have the furthest to go to become an NFL passer.

Then, there's Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder, who didn't particularly impress during Senior Bowl week yet performed well in the actual game and had a few high-level throws. Bleacher Report's scouting department graded Ridder as the only first-round talent among the entire group. 

B/R scout Nate Tice wrote:

"Overall, Ridder is a competitive player who showed a leap in improvement throughout the 2021 season. He's athletic but doesn't just rely on his legs to make plays happen and constantly showed an advanced understanding of Cincinnati's offense with his pre- and post-snap operation. His ability to operate from the pocket with his polished movement and balance, while still maintaining the athleticism to create plays when things break down, is a fun package."

Some combination of those signal-callers, if not all three, could be off the board in the opening frame. Or, one might slide.

The idea of one of them doing so may be fanciful to some. Based purely on positional value, that's a logical thought. Then again, the Browns found a way to draft Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in the second round after the standout inexplicably slid despite being a consensus first-round talent in 2021. So, the possibility is there, particularly when so much skepticism exists with this group of signal-callers. 

The options don't stop with the top three. 

Thomas Graning/Associated Press

Ole Miss' Matt Corral is a quick-release artist who fires from multiple arm angles. Concerns about his potential involve his slight frame at a listed 6'2" and 205 pounds and the fact that he played in a simplistic, quarterback-friendly scheme. He might be the perfect candidate to groom for a year before he's ready to start. 

North Carolina's Sam Howell, at 6'1", 220 pounds, is most often compared to Mayfield for their similar builds and competitive natures. Howell is slightly thicker and a little better runner, but he wasn't nearly as efficient in college. However, the idea of bringing in a similar talent to keep the offense intact might appeal to head coach/play-caller Kevin Stefanski. 

Western Kentucky's Bailey Zappe shouldn't be overlooked, even though he doesn't have the raw arm strength some others do in this class. Zappe broke FBS records with 5,967 passing yards and 62 touchdown tosses during the 2021 campaign. Considering the production and skill set, he's reminiscent of Keenum when he left the Houston Cougars in 2012. Zappe could slide right into Keenum's spot and eventually challenge for the job. 

Cleveland's primary offseason goal should be to build up the quarterback position so it's not a hindrance. Who that signal-caller will be remains in question.

Maybe the Browns mirror the Philadelphia Eagles, who selected Jalen Hurts in 2020 while Carson Wentz was still on the roster. Wentz is gone and Hurts has earned the job. This couldn't have occurred without some foresight by Philadelphia's front office and a willingness to invest another high pick in an intriguing quarterback prospect. And Berry did spend a year working with the Eagles front office before he became the Browns general manager. 

Mayfield is the obvious option in Cleveland for at least one more season. However, Berry can hedge the franchise's bet with another smart investment to make sure the position is set—whether Mayfield proves he's the long-term answer or another up-and-comer gets a shot to start. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski. Salary-cap information via Spotrac unless otherwise noted.