Beating Baker Mayfield would be a big deal for Browns, fans

Baker Mayfield's journey has been a massive part of the Cleveland Browns' story over the past decade. The Browns' decision to trade for Deshaun Watson marked the end of the Mayfield era in Cleveland. The animosity between Mayfield and members of the organization continued during the years following the trade, making this a very interesting game. The last time Mayfield played against the Browns was in September of 2022, his first game as the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers.

A win this week would not just be about Mayfield. The team is looking to bounce back after a very tough Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars . They are looking to show that this loss does not define who they are as a team. The defense needs to put together a solid performance this week after a disjointed Week 1. After Mayfield fumbled a career-high three times in Week 1, the Cleveland defense will hope to create turnovers and give its offense chances to succeed.

Many of Mayfield's teammates and coaching staff from his time in Cleveland are no longer with the organization, so there won't be many personal feelings from players in the organization during this matchup. The personal feelings will mostly lie with the fans. While the trade still brings mixed emotions for many fans, it gives them an additional reason to want a win this week, even if that too will create mixed emotions.

Let me know what you think in the comments – What would a Browns win against Baker Mayfield mean to this team?

Download the SB Nation app on iOS or Android .