Going into the 2020 NFL season the Cleveland Browns created very low expectations. A first-time general manager with a first-time head coach expected to implement (the dreaded) analytics once again led to a lot of questions.
The primary questions revolved around quarterback Baker Mayfield who fell down to earth in his second season in the NFL due to poor coaching under Freddie Kitchens.
Going into the 2021 NFL season the Cleveland Browns are NFL darlings. The 2020 season was more successful than many could have imagined with a playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers and pushing the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to the brink in the following game.
While the 2021 Browns may be overhyped but Pro Football Focus has Mayfield, Wyatt Teller and John Johnson III on their “All-Underrated Team” for 2021:
From Week 7 through the postseason of last year, Mayfield ranked second among quarterbacks in passing grade (91.8), fifth in big-time throw rate (6.6%) and first in turnover-worthy play rate (1.6%). The Browns quarterback and head coach Kevin Stefanski were clicking on all cylinders in 2020, and Year 2 of the partnership could cement Mayfield’s standing as a top-10 quarterback.
For Johnson, the biggest addition to the Cleveland roster in free agency, inclusion is quite interesting:
Johnson is capable of playing any role in any scheme. He called the plays for Brandon Staley’s No. 1-ranked Los Angeles Rams defense in 2020 when he was the fifth-most valuable defensive player in the NFL, according to PFF WAR.
That success has been a common theme for him when healthy. Johnson has recorded PFF grades above 80.0 in three of his four seasons, all of which ranked 11th or higher at the position. The season he didn’t was in 2019, when he was limited to only six games due to injury.
You can see the write-up on Teller and more in their piece.
With Mayfield looking at a contract extension soon and Teller set to become a free agent at the end of the season, their agents are hoping their value shoots up during a, presumably, successful 2021 season.
