Could Baker Mayfield entice Josh McDaniels to take Browns job?

Josh McDaniels is reportedly interested in coaching the Cleveland Browns, and Baker Mayfield could be a big reason.

For the first time in a long time, the Cleveland Browns appear to have a bright future. They improved on their 0-16 season in 2017 to post a 7-8-1 record in 2018, and it was due in large part to the emergence of rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft.

With the team very much on the rise, and with stability at the quarterback position for the first time in decades, Cleveland suddenly seems like a desirable landing spot for potential head coaches. According to the Canton Repository, one coach in particular that has shown interest in the position is Josh McDaniels, the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots and longtime student of Bill Belichick.

What would be the biggest draw for McDaniels to leave the comforts of Foxborough, Massachusetts and take on the hefty task of coaching the Browns? Seemingly, it would be the opportunity to work with the young and enthusiastic Mayfield. McDaniels is one of the most well-known offensive wizards in the NFL and seeing as how Mayfield breathed new life into the Browns offense this season, it could be a match made in heaven for the pair to come together in Cleveland.

We already know that McDaniels is a fan of Mayfield’s, as he held a private workout with him before the draft last season. After Mayfield emerged onto the NFL scene as a rookie, it’s unlikely that McDaniels’ opinion of him has changed.

McDaniels has also shown interest in the Green Bay Packers coaching vacancy, so he will be keeping his options open after he finishes with the Patriots in the upcoming playoffs. But if he wants the opportunity to work with a fiery young quarterback who could be on his way to becoming one of the NFL’s elite signal callers, there would be no better job for McDaniels to take than the one in Cleveland.