Baker Mayfield Knows This Season is Crucial for His Next Contract so He'd Better Not Blow it

As far as NFL teams that will be under critical examination in 2020 are concerned, the Cleveland Browns figure to be near the top of the list following a letdown 6-10 campaign last year. A lot will be riding on the performance of quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is entering his third season as a pro after being drafted No. 1 overall back in 2018.

The 25-year-old gunslinger is fully aware of the significance of this season and how it will impact his next contract with Cleveland. Players can renegotiate their contracts after the third year of their rookie deals; he can't afford to fumble this opportunity.

The glaring issue here is that nobody knows how Mayfield will perform in Year 3. The former Heisman Trophy winner regressed exponentially as a sophomore last season, completing just 59.4% of his passes for 3,827 yards, 22 touchdowns and a whopping 21 interceptions, which ranked second-worst in the league.

Mayfield was already working with exceptional offensive weapons, and the Browns took things a step further this offseason by bolstering his offensive line and signing star tight end Austin Hooper.

Outside of quarterback, the Browns have all the tools in place to make a playoff run. We'll know everything about Mayfield's future with the organization and his ceiling as an NFL signal caller after the 2020 campaign. The former Oklahoma superstar has no excuse not to perform well this year.