BEREA, Ohio — The defense got the better of second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield with several deflected passes at the line of scrimmage over the first two days of training camp, but the Cleveland Browns’ top signal-caller got a measure of respect back during the red-zone drills Friday.
Much to the delight of the fans in attendance, Mayfield led several successful trips into the end zone during the drill, namely by completing passes at the front and back of the end zone to wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins, respectively.
“His confidence when he plays is the same,” Browns left guard Joel Bitonio said. “That’s who Baker Mayfield is and when he comes out there, you know it’s his team out there. It’s been pretty cool to see him evolve as a little bit more vocal leader for everybody. If someone’s not doing something right, he’s not afraid to let them know. It’s good.
“What’s even more impressive…, he didn’t have any training camp with the ones, it was mostly Tyrod (Taylor) taking those reps. But now, he has that ability to really improve. It’s the first time playing with some of the receivers and some of the running backs and stuff. All that takes time. That’s why training camp is six weeks long. We have time to get ready for Week 1.”
The first touchdown of the red zone drill went to Beckham Jr.
Starting on the left side of the field, Beckham Jr. ran to the hash marks and Mayfield squeezed the throw through a tight window for the touchdown. Browns linebackers Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey and cornerback T.J. Carrie were in coverage, but Beckham Jr. created an opening, and Mayfield delivered a strike for the score.
Later in the same drill, Mayfield looked to the right side of the field and had two options before releasing the ball.
As tight end Demetrius Harris ran an out route along the goal line, Higgins crossed behind him over the middle of the field, and as he did, Mayfield threw him open in the back of the end zone for the touchdown.
“He continues to communicate at a high level,” wide receiver Jarvis Landry said of Mayfield. “I think the biggest thing for us, and he understands as well, is he needs us to be in the spot where he envisions us being -- where we’re supposed to be, as we would say.
“He does a great job of communicating that in a constructive way. I think that’s the biggest thing -- not a quarterback yelling in your face and cursing you out. If that needs to be, he knows how to step in and do that as well. That’s why he’s our leader and that’s why he’s a hell of a quarterback, too.”