NFL Comeback Player of Year odds: Potential make-or-break season for Browns' Baker Mayfield
Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is +3300 at William Hill sportsbook to win NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
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Is it fair to call this a make-or-break season for Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield? The former Heisman Trophy winner out of Oklahoma and No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft was fabulous in 14 games as a rookie, finishing runner-up to New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, Mayfield regressed last season and so did the Browns. He is +3300 on the moneyline odds at William Hill sportsbook to win Comeback Player of the Year.
Mayfield is one of two Browns available to bet on that prop along with defensive end Myles Garrett, who was limited to 10 games in 2019 due to suspension yet just got a monster extension. Mayfield played every snap, so should he even qualify for Comeback Player of the Year? Someone like Ben Roethlisberger (+350) or Cam Newton (+450) would make more sense considering their 2019 seasons were cut very short due to injury.
Cleveland, incidentally, sniffed around signing Newton but opted to pass. Mayfield completed 63.8 percent of his passes with 27 touchdowns, 14 picks and a rating of 93.7 as a rookie but just 59.4 percent with 22 TDs and 21 picks last year with a rating of 78.8 -- of the 26 passers who threw at least 400 passes, he ranked 25th in rating, ahead of only Andy Dalton -- although his offensive line wasn't great.
Perhaps a change from former head coach Freddie Kitchens (who was clearly in over his head) to Kevin Stefanski, the former Vikings coordinator, will be just what Mayfield needs. No question that Mayfield has plenty of weapons around him, including receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, tight ends Austin Hooper and David Njoku (if he's not traded), and running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
Cleveland also upgraded the offensive line by selecting Alabama tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. at No. 10 overall in April's draft and signing former Titans tackle Jack Conklin to a three-year free-agent deal. The Browns have an Over-Under win total of 8.5 this season, with the Under a -120 favorite. The SportsLine Projection Model has the Browns at 8.6 wins. Mayfield is +2500 to lead the NFL in passing yards.
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