Is there any question in your mind that Baker Mayfield is the quarterback of the Browns into the foreseeable future?

They should sign into one of those big deals quarterbacks get and go on with their lives.

I'm not super crate that, like that wasn't an endorsement.

Okay, I'm you know me.

I'm big on the language and how coaches, general managers and ownership approach conversations about players.

Contract.

Obviously, Stefanski is deferring to Andrew Berry, the GM, because that's the one that ultimately is going work the deal or whatever.

But the fact that your head coach didn't say Yeah, he's our franchise Guy Baker is the future face of the Cleveland Browns that bothers me.

Make it concerns me a little bit.

Yes, he's done enough this season to be the franchise guy.

First of all, when is the last time Ah, damn Cleveland Browns quarterback even got to the point of the conversation about a second contract.

So that's not that's a win for May feel right there, let alone his play.

He did some things this year that showed me that not only the maturity at the quarterback spot, but also I'm going to step up and answer the bell when it's about the quarterback outdueling the quarterback across the field.

For me, that is the thing I saw.

That's the most impressive thing I saw.

Baker put Cleveland Brown put the Cleveland Browns in games and won games with his arm off script.

When Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt in this offensive line, what wasn't demolishing people?

He showed you that he can put you in position to win a swell, and I think that speaks to his franchise now.

What tier?

What money?

I don't know, G.

I don't see paying 40 million for Baker with all of the things you need around him.

What do you think you have?

Listen, I think the money is irrelevant, right?

Quarterbacks gonna make what they make and everybody sets the bar so I don't even care about the money.

But Baker Mayfield himself has done enough toe earn the respect of the Cleveland Browns and coach to fancy like, if you look at this quarterback, how many how many offensive coordinators he had four or five.

I mean, how many head coaches four or five like this is year one with Stefanski.

I mean, listen.

He has done the maturity he showed from Week one of this season to the playoff loss, thinking.

I mean, it's unbelievable.

This guy has made continuous strides.

He continues to answer the bell each and every week.

Is he a perfect quarterback?

Absolutely not.

But is he a perfect quarterback in this system?

Yes, because you can have Chub and Hunt and a very good offensive line, and he confined receivers downfield.

They need some other pieces and parts around him, including on the defensive side of the football, to help them win more games.

But absolutely, Baker Mayfield has done enough to earn himself a place in Cleveland.

Most improved player is not an award they give on the night before the Super Bowl.

If they did, and I had a vote, I would give it to him.

I think he was the most improved player in the sport this season, including Josh Allen and anybody.

Dan Graziano.

Let's talk about how it goes from here.

Where did the Browns go As far as this is concerned, getting a deal done with Baker.

So he just finished years three, which means that he's now eligible to negotiate an extension for the first time he's he'll be entering year four of his rookie deal.

They have the fifth year option for 2022 that probably comes in somewhere north of $25 million.

Eso But you can.

You know, we saw the Shawn Watson.

We saw Patrick Mahomes last year negotiate extensions in this same zone that bakers in now between your three and year four, so they'll probably approach him about an extension.

Where that goes depends on the motivation.

Each side has to do it.

Kevin Stefanski smart.

He's not gonna go out there and talk about Baker Mayfield, a surefire franchise quarterback for the future, because then the Baker Mayfield agent goes into the negotiations said, Hey, look what your head coach said about my guy.

Give me more money.

So you know, it's just the process.

But they you know, Kevin Stefanski went there, believing that Baker Mayfield could be the guy long term, and this year proved it.

I mean, you see these throws we were showing on the highlights against the Chiefs the other day?

I mean, couldn't couldn't do any better than he did in that game.

No argument there.

So Marcus, really quickly for you, if I could, You're talking about you're not 100% sold on the tier.

But I like to point that Saturday just made, considering this is year one in this system, do you believe there's reason to expect him to get better next year?

Yeah, I expect them to get better.

But I also thought that the strides he made this year to me worm or impressive when he wasn't on script when he needed to be the guy that that being the reason that the Cleveland Browns won games.

That was what impressed me.

Maura, about Baker, Mayfield and and that's what gets you paid G like the big quarterback money.

How how much can you lift us when things are going haywire when we don't have everything at our disposal?

The win against Pittsburgh, with guys not being able to practice impressive the back and forth with Lamar Jackson when they play Baltimore pushing the ball down the field with his on this game against Kansas City Baker Mayfield was not the reason the Browns lost this game.

He did enough for me to say that he should be a franchise quarterback.

But I also have to bring in mind.

How much can you spend on him and keep all of these things at his disposal?

Can he lift per se bad guys around him or guys?

That's not to that level.

The Cleveland Browns have a lot of really good players, guys, thank you for watching ESPN on YouTube for live streaming sports and premium content.

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