QB Baker Mayfield (5.15.19)
QB Baker Mayfield:
On his review of Cedar Point:
“Really great.”
On how he handled Cedar Point:
“I did good. I love roller coasters. Grew up down in Texas so we have a Six Flags in San Antonio and Dallas. I have been going to roller coaster parks for a while. It is a really good one up here.”
On throwing to WR Odell Beckham Jr. yesterday:
“It was really great to have him out here and around the guys, which I think is the most important part because we have a lot of time to get the timing down. Right now, it is about getting to know each other, get the base of our offense down and accomplish those things.”
On if Beckham can just step in and contribute:
“That is the type of talent he is, but at the same time, we have to work for it. It is not just going to happen. That is where you have things like minicamp in June and then also training camp. We have the whole summer to be able to throw and get that stuff down. Like I said, it is about learning the offense and getting on the same page.”
On if he tries to convince Beckham to come to OTAs:
“You let a guy like that be him. Everybody has their routine. Stick to what is working, and for him, obviously, it has been working for a while. He is going to do what he’s going to do. You have to trust that he is going to be there when it matters, and we know who he is.”
On the difference for him between now and last year, given he was not the starting QB:
“It is definitely a lot different position mentality wise being the vocal guy here now, and it is a big difference from now to last year. It is a great difference to be able to be that guy that people are looking at during OTAs and during meeting and stuff like that. That is important to me.”
On if he and Browns players will schedule workout sessions in California during the break:
“Yeah, we will.”
On his reaction to Beckham’s comments about him to GQ Magazine:
“Brett Favre was my favorite quarterback growing up so it got me a little fired up. If you don’t have the mentality that you want to be the best to ever play, then I think you are doing it for the wrong reasons. People can blow it out of context – whatever they want. He is just excited to be here, excited to get to work and start something new.”
On the value of having WR Jarvis Landry on the field, even if he is not practicing:
“Leadership wise. He was that veteran guy in our receiver room last year for a pretty young group. Just seeing him being around most of those guys going into Year 2, they all look up to him and then also you add Odell, it is just a combination of people looking up to him. I think a leadership role is very important to him. He knows that, and that is why he’s out here.”
On if was able to imagine potential for the Browns offense at OTAs yesterday:
“Yeah, it is kind of like what we said back when the trade happened. It is kind of pick your poison now. We have some pretty good talent all around – tight ends, running backs, receivers and then going in with the same offensive line. We have a good team. Now, it is what are we going to do with it.”
On the Browns running game:
“I think we still need to be able to run it in our division. We have to. Mentality wise, it is a tough division. We have people talking about our receivers and tight ends, but we have to be able to run the ball in short yardage and in cold weather. It is pretty important, and I’m hoping everybody kind of overshadowing and not talking about the running backs kind of pisses them off.”
On if the Browns know what the end product of the offense should be:
“No, we don’t know what the end product is looking like. That is why we are doing stuff right now to try and find our identity and try to find out what we are going to be like, who we are going to be as a team. That is the great part about it. We don’t have to know right now. We don’t have to know who exactly is going to be playing, who is going to be making the certain plays, what routes they are going to be best at. That is what we are trying to find out right now.”
On RB Kareem Hunt and if he makes a points to ensure Hunt feels included as a member of the team, particularly given his upcoming suspension:
“Yeah, absolutely. You want everybody that is here right now to feel like a part of the team and to feel like we are working towards the same goal. Even though he can’t play the first eight games, he is going to be a vital part of our team. Just being around him, I think he is a great kid. Mistakes happen. I can speak form personal experience. Just talking to (Chiefs QB) Pat Mahomes or (Chiefs TE) Travis Kelce – the guys that have been with him – they speak very highly of him. I think that is really important, and it has been pretty important for him to be here too.”
On if he has already started to see the differences in the Browns roster this year:
“Absolutely. I think the most exciting thing is that it is competitive. Going up against the defense now and during the voluntary minicamp, we have a lot of talent. Trying to find out who we are, but it is fun to go compete against those guys every day.”
On if maintained a relationship with QB Garrett Gilbert, given they attended the same high school:
“His younger brother is in my wedding, and he is an usher so yeah.”
On Kitchens since being named head coach:
“I think there is one thing you guys need to know is nobody is going to change Freddie. I think that is why he is the man for the job. No matter the scrutiny, first year or whatever it is, he is going to trust his instincts. The things he has been through, he is going to coach his players and he is going to try and bring out the best in them. I think that is the best part about him. He is not going to change. He is just going to try and relate to those guys and bring out the best in them.”
On what the Browns defensive line can be:
“Anytime you can have a solid defensive line, it changes the backend of things. It allows the linebackers to shoot through gaps and play more free, and then obviously, the secondary doesn’t have to hold up as long. Even though we have a talented secondary, it just freezes things up. It stops the run game obviously, and then in pass coverage, they get to the quarterback quicker. It is a talented four, and we are hoping we have a few more guys step up.”
On if he has communicated with RB Duke Johnson Jr.:
“I have not.”
On keeping energy up during team periods:
“Yeah, it is Day 2 of OTAs. People are going to be pretty energetic. We will see come the last week and minicamp if they have that same energy.”
On WR Antonio Callaway’s opportunity to improve:
“I think I can speak for a few people, we have been very pleasantly and very happy with how he came back from the offseason ready to go. Just how quick he is and you can tell he has been working on his craft. That is very exciting to see that. You bring in a guy like Odell and you re-sign some guys, and he is going to try and compete with them. That is the most important part. Competition brings out the best in them and Callaway is doing that.”
On if he believes Hunt is working to make the best out of his second chance:
“Absolutely. He really is. Good kid. Mistakes happen. Everybody that has been around him knows who he is. I think he was given a second chance and he is taking advantage of it.”
On if has spoken with Mahomes and Kelce about Hunt as a teammate:
“I have. Nothing but a lot of good things to say, and that is important. What guys say about you in the locker room speaks more about you than anything you will do on the field.”
On his connection with Kitchens:
“He just puts himself out there, and I think I do the same. We both admit that we have our flaws and we don’t have it all figured out, but we are working towards the same goal.”
On the biggest change for him compared to this time last year, outside of being the starting QB:
“I think eliminating the rookie mistakes. I think the change within me is taking ownership of alright, yeah, there’s some things that I haven’t seen before, some disguises, some gameplans and different ways to study that I haven’t done before. Taking a first time through that last year, but now I need to take that next step. That is all behind me, move forward and get better.”
On Ohio State QB Garrett Wilson:
“I have thrown with Garrett a couple of times. Tried to get him to Oklahoma, but he didn’t go (laughter). Garrett is a great kid. Obviously, very talented. He is a guy that I think he’ll be 3 and 4 and done at Ohio State. He is a great kid, works really hard and his talent is all there.”
On RB Nick Chubb and his potential this year:
“Phenomenally talented. Very quiet. Just works really hard. Cares about winning more than anything. He had 1,000 yards and lost it. He didn’t care about that. He cared about the fact that we lost the last game of the year. I think that speaks volume of who he is as a teammate and great to have people like that.”
On quarterbacks coach Ryan Lindley:
“Just being around him last year helped set the foundation for who he is, and obviously, he was in Arizona and played with (QB) Drew (Stanton) and under Freddie. They knew him and the fact that he has seen football and been taught by Freddie helps me tremendously of where we want to go and how it needs to be taught and of what we want to accomplish. Very good connection with Ryan, and he is teaching everything the way we need to do it.”
On spending time with Patriots QB Tom Brady at the Kentucky Derby and the NFL100 commercial:
“Just being around the greatest of all time is obviously an honor to be around him and how he is with his teammates, the guys he played with in the past, how they speak so highly of him. You don’t really talk about football in those situations, but how he treats everybody and how he handles himself is just some of the better examples of how to go through life. He does it all right”
On if he played Country House or the favorite at the Derby:
“I had Maximum Security.”
On if he was mad:
“Was I mad? Yeah.”
On if he talked to Cardinals Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury:
“It was great to see Kliff again after playing him through college and obviously playing with him before. Just talking through things. He has (Cardinals QB) Kyler (Murray) now so just making sure he is going to take care of my guy. It was good to see him. Ask him about how his transition is going, because it is a little bit different for him, as well.
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