CLEVELAND — Nearly two months after he stated that he expects Baker Mayfield to be his team's starting quarterback in 2022, Andrew Berry's tune didn't change. But the Cleveland Browns general manager also didn't rule out the possibility of adding competition in his team's quarterback room.
"We really do look at it as if it's an expansion team," Berry told reporters at the NFL Draft Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday. "And if we have opportunities to match resources with talent, we do want to continue to add talent to the roster and that applies to every position."
Berry's comments come as Mayfield continues to rehabilitate for the surgical procedure he underwent on Jan. 19 to repair the torn labrum in his left shoulder. Asked about the No. 1 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft's progress, Berry said provided a positive update and said that the two sides have remained in communication since the surgery.
"Baker's doing well in his rehab," Berry told reporters at the NFL Draft Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday. "I think you guys know how hard he works. He's worked his tail off since the surgery. He's right on track.
"I talked to him a little bit after the surgery. He was a little bit groggy. It's the first time he's ever had surgery in his entire career, but he's worked really hard and we feel good about his progress."
When it comes to the possibility of the Browns bringing in competition for Mayfield -- be it via trade, free agency or the draft -- it's worth noting that the Oklahoma product is preparing to enter the final season of his rookie contract. And while injuries played a role in Mayfield's disappointing 2021 season, the reality remains that Cleveland is currently trying to contend and won't want to risk losing another season to subpar quarterback play.
Considering all of the circumstances involved, the Browns will likely have no choice but to -- at a minimum -- upgrade their backup quarterback situation. But ideally for Cleveland, Mayfield's play would render such an insurance policy null and void.
"We've seen him play at a high level before. Being realistic, the injury does have some impact on his performance," Berry said. "We're focused on him getting healthy. We know how he works. We think he's talented. We've seen him play at a playoff-caliber level before and I don't think there's any reason that he can’t rebound to that level next year.”