Connor Orr Ranks Browns 19th Best Quarterback Situation

SI's Connor Orr rated the quarterback situations in the NFL and the Cleveland Browns were rated conservatively to say the least.

There are legitimate reasons to think the Cleveland Browns and their offense will come out slow in 2020. OTAs already being impacted, minicamps all but cancelled already, players may not be able to work together until July at the earliest. That's on top of the fact the Browns have a new coaching staff and are installing a new offense. So when SI's Connor Orr ranks their quarterback situation 19th in the NFL, there is reason not to dismiss it immediately.

Being a rookie head coach is difficult enough without having potentially so much on field time eliminated. When offense is so much about timing and rhythm, from the offensive line to the quarterback with the receivers, it's simply about reps. Reps they won't have.

Nevertheless, there are a number of areas where the Browns should be better that shouldn't depend on reps. The offensive line is already better with the addition of Jack Conklin at right tackle and the likely addition of a new left tackle in the NFL Draft. If Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry are simply healthy in 2020, that would be an improvement from last season as both played the entire season through pain. And while there are skeptics as to whether Austin Hooper is worth the contract the Browns gave him, he does make the Browns better.

Additionally, the coaching staff should be better, despite the time lost. New head coach Kevin Stefanski was rated highly among play callers for last season as the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. Comparing that to Freddie Kitchens, who not only called some of the most bizarre situational play calls, but also called plays the team hadn't practiced, it shouldn't be difficult to improve.

Adding Alex Van Pelt to coach quarterbacks should also be beneficial. The major weakness on Kitchens' staff, outside of Kitchens himself, was Ryan Lindley. Lindley simply wasn't ready for the job and it showed. Van Pelt is highly regarded and has plenty of experience.

If Mayfield's arm were to simply fall off, the Browns have a better backup quarterback than most teams in Case Keenum. Keenum is back in the offense that allowed him to have the best season of his career and lead the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship.

Orr expects Mayfield to be much higher than this ranking, which is what everyone expects from Mayfield. There are challenges with this season, but Mayfield should more closely resemble the player he showed as a rookie and through his collegiate career.