As usual (blush-blush) Brady didn't say much that I haven't said, but as a Quarterback himself, he brought a few things to the fore that bear repeating:
For starters, Brady kind of validated my own "wait---what?" response to Alex Van Pelt when he said he was telling Baker to line up in shotgun/pistol with his left instead of right foot forward.
Brady got that, as the West Coast system (which the Browns will run) mandates some "insta-throws" in which the QB shifting his feet could delay the release, but otherwise shrugged off questions about Mayfield's feet.
Indeed, Brady says that Mayfield has great footwork.
For Brady, none of Mayfield's issues in 2019 were mechanical at all. Brady said:
1: Baker held the ball too long sometimes because he wasn't comfortable enough with OBJ his receivers.
2: Brady didn't say it, but Mayfield ran from "phantom" pressure sometimes because he got shellshocked by all the "turnstile" blocking.
3: He wasn't comfortable in general, as the 2019 system was John Dorseys different from the 2018 system.
(Again: In 2018 he read and reacted, getting rid of the ball quickly. Kitchens used 2 Tight Ends to help the Tackles protect, and also some stacked backfields.
In 2019 he lost Higgins and Njoku, and was asked to throw vertical passes to Dorsey's new toy. They ran the ball less as well.
Brady was dancing around all this, but it's a lot of what he really meant).
4: The defense was a big factor. When a team is behind with time running out, all worthy or real Quarterbacks will take more risks. The alternative is to just concede the game.
Quarterbacks who come from behind a lot throw more interceptions. That is why.
5: Quinn wants you to know that Mayfield's pinpoint accuracy is ennate, and hasn't gone away. Mayfield is as accurate as and QB in the NFL, and can make throws that few others can.
Once he's comfortable with receivers he can trust, he'll be "dangerous" again.
Dan Justik weighed in on Baker Mayfield's accuracy, and was wrong on a few points in Brady's and my opinions:
Baker did throw off-balance too often in 2019, but does not "have a tendancy" to get sloppy with his footwork. In order to have a "tendancy", you need to have displayed the given habit at some point in the last oh...five years or so...at least 2 or 3 times.
Mayfield gets bashed for only being an inch shorter than Rodgers and over an inch taller than Brees, but his stature and build are why his mechanics are fine!
His shorter limbs give him a lower center of balance, quicker feet, and a quicker release. He can shift quicker and reset his feet quicker than Darnold or Wentz.
Dan is correct that a bunch of Mayfield's 2019 throws sailed high, and (as Jim Miller taught me) that is a mechanical issue caused by the QB leaning forward (over his front foot) as he releases.
This is mostly psychological, as the QB is "pressing" because he's frustrated. You get some breakups or even some drops, and the physical symptom of your teeth-gritting determination to plow through it is literally leaning into every throw.
Miller, Quinn, and I think Bernie all said that this is a common flaw and easily corrected (if you're disciplined).
Throughout all the years prior to 2019, Baker never did this before. His platform was always stable.
In fact, it should be easier for Mayfield to correct this "out over his skis" trait than other Quarterbacks because he is unique:
Baker Mayfield stands up on his toes as he throws. I think Miller noticed it first--check it out! I haven't checked yet, but think that in 2019 he probably stopped doing that (maybe a bad QB coach or something?)
Anyway, you really can't put all your weight on your front foot if it's on it's toes.
By the way, these tippy-toe throws no doubt help him overcome his vertical challenge. I don't have Baker's shoe size, but guesstimate that he's over 6'4" on his tippy-toes.
I remember when some people expected the Browns to "fix" Bernie Kosar's side-arm throwing motion, by the way. I can see how some QB "guru" would want to stop Mayfield from standing on his toes when he throws too...and possibly that happened and messed him up.
If that's the case, former QB Alex Van Pelt will probably "unfix" Baker immediately.
Dan and the guy he quoted just need to look at some films to see how accurate Baker Mayfield is. "Play after play after play", Brady Quinn talks about the ball going in tight where only his receiver has a chance at it, or guys catching it at full-speed with room to run (placement).
Any old Quarterback will tell you, while completion percentage is a great indicator of accuracy, there's more to it than that. There are guys who compete 70% of their passes, but average 6.5 yards per-attempt. Mayfield came out of college with (I think) THE highest yards per-attempt in his class (unless that guy in Buffalo outslinged him).
Some 70% passers don't get their receivers YAC numbers. Baker Mayfield's guys (including Rashard Higgins) did consistent damage with the ball in their hands. Nobody has to dive or slide except when a defender is all over him.
Baker Mayfield is a historically accurate Quarterback, and trying to take that away from here off one crappy year is lunacy.
Speaking of dumbassitude, another guy I won't name for his own sake lists his version of the 3 biggest mistakes the Browns made this offseason.
First, it was picking up David Njoku's 5th year option.
This writer's biggest concern with Njoku is his blocking, as he expects Stefanski to put a high priority on in-line blocking for his Tight Ends.
Fair enough, except that per Pff, David was a middle of the road blocker coming out of college (read: he never sucked).
In this 3 year-old pre-draft scouting report, PFF dings Njoku (the blocker) for vulnerability to explosive edge-rushers and stuff, but since that time he has seriously worked on his blocking and doesn't suck like everybody including this dumbass assumes he must as a blocker.
And watch the "in-line" stuff in a zone scheme. That's about athleticism and position rather than power, and the linemen (not to mention Tight Ends) block in space.
Irv Smith was primarily a pass catcher for Stefanski last season while Rudolph drew the short straw and blocked a lot.
While David Njoku simply isn't built to ever become an elite blocker, he's a gigantic Wide Receiver who gets open and can score from anywhere on the field.
This boob thinks Njoku might "pout" and stuff if he doesn't catch many passes in 2020, and sweats his whopping 6 million dollar contract and stuff. Without saying it, this fake analyst expects David Njoku to crap out in 2020.
6 mil is half what Hooper cost, and picking up that 5th year option was a no-brainer. And they still COULD trade him at that price.
Some editor's nephew or drinking buddy also bemoans the lack of any strong FA additions at Linebacker.
This one isn't stupid, as a lot of competent analysts say the same thing. I have speculated about Ogletree or even Matthews III, but still feel that this isn't as important as most of you think it is.
This pretend writer thinks that a Joe Woods MIKE has to direct traffic and line everybody up or something.
Maybe somebody told him that this was what Joe Schobert did for Gregg Williams, and he ass umed that every defense was like that.
Well...no. Believe it or not, second or even first year linebackers can usually figure out where to line up without close supervision (it's true! HONEST!!!)
This "writer" bemoans the losses of both Chris Kirksey and Schobert. He was smart enough to admit that money and the cap were inescapable factors, but then this is where he wonders who will tell the other linebacker(s) where to line up, and implies that Kirksey might have been better than nothing.
Good grief: I love Christian Kirksey, but he's seen his best days as a player, and all 3 young guys have MUCH higher cielings, even in 2020.
This "leadership" stuff...
Most of you people are clueless about social dynamics, and are mindlessly repeating catch-phrases you heard other people repeating (verbatum) as you try to impress eachother with how smart you are.
You can't "prescribe" leaders, as if you're building a team out of cookbook!
People like Baker Mayfield (and maybe Tretter) are born leaders, but other leaders emerge spontaneously. We are social animals. It's how we're wired.
A guy who delivers in the crunch is a leader. A guy who's been around piles respect up in the bank. A Joe Schobert was kind of an exception, as he proved to have the brain to be Gregg Williams' Field Marshall.
He was quiet. But a leader.
Of course, the COACHES are leaders, believe it or not!
They're like the officers in the military.
That's different, I know, but the officers/coaches do matter:
Colonel Stefanski has all the gravitas in the world right now. It doesn't look like he's going to "get us all killed" at this point. Major Callahan is great insurance!
Among the players, I guess you have to rate Mayfield a Lieutenant, but the Sargeants are Landry, Tretter, Joseph---
Well you should get the gist of it: Quarterbacks and coaches aside, leaders emerge as needed in every tribe or gang of human beings, and you people are overboard with this formulaic leadership crap.
You think Phillips or Takitaki will...panic or something if they don't have some older guy to hold their hands or something?
Seriously, I'm embarrassed for you people, talking about leadership and mentoring and adding a cup of this and a teaspoon of that to balance out the roster socially.
I call you people "Victory Gardeners".
Okbye
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