Mayfield is pleased with the Browns' decision to promote Freddie Kitchens to head coach, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com reports. "I kind of had that sense the whole time," Mayfield said Wednesday. "Seeing how [Kitchens] was, how he didn't change when he made the jump from running backs coach to offensive coordinator. Then just taking over and the difference that we had while he was calling plays."
Promising yet inconsistent during the first half of his rookie season, Mayfield completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 8.6 yards per attempt with 19 touchdowns in eight games after Kitchens replaced Todd Haley as the Browns' offensive coordinator. With Nick Chubb enjoying a similarly strong finish while running behind an impressive offensive line, the Browns can focus their offseason efforts on improving the defense and giving Mayfield more receiving weapons. The history of organizational dysfunction is still a concern, but few teams have a better situation in terms of the combination of talent, cap space and draft picks. While he'll likely be drafted as a low-end starter or high-end backup in most 2019 fantasy drafts, Mayfield could solidify a spot as a top-10 quarterback if the Browns make a significant investment in a wideout this offseason.