I believe pretty deeply in him. It would take a lot more than those numbers or my eyes to move me off him. He has everything I value in a QB.

It's not a sum zero discussion. If'n their's is good, ours must be bad. Not true unless you get to choose when to pluck away Mahomes or Herbert or something. The question is: Can Baker be the QB of a Browns championship team? Can he continue "ascending" in the offense, getting better and better?

I think the answers will be yes. But I've been wrong before. I just don't see a Mitch Trubisky. I think he's better than all three of the other QBs playing in this offense, and I like the first two (Jimmy G., Tannehill, Cousins).

I suppose it becomes a question of value, considering how much/little he'll be asked to do compared to a Mahomes. I don't think the two guys should be paid the same. But I think Baker can easily complete 70% for over 7.5, 30/10, and win a ton of games.

But he's 9 games into a new offense with no preseason and consecutive dreadful weather games. Let's keep watching him.

Interesting: Jake Burns has been saying that the Browns and Baker should make a convertible Jimmy G. type of deal, plenty of money but get-outtable if it isn't working after year 2.

Meaningful on two levels: First, it's the same offense that clearly doesn't require or accommodate a Mahomes "ball dominant" QB, a highlight reel of freelancing. Second... the Niners are 24-9 with Jimmy and like 6-23 without him since 2017.

We see the value of a great QB. We often underestimate the importance of a good or very good one. This is that kind of offense and Baker is that kind of QB. His upside is higher than Jimmy's, has a bigger arm, but he doesn't have the running element, isn't really multidimensional like Mahomes, Russ, even Josh, Justin, or Tua. But neither does Burrow (both are nimble).

He does seem just right for the Shanny Shanny, when he's locked in and throwing darts like the 20 in a row against the Bengals (when the weather isn't nuts).

I think the Browns will pick up his option after this season. Then, if he shows more growth after an actual camp, they could add a few more years that can easily become two.

Anyone who even semi-seriously wants to give up on Baker needs to look around the league for a minute at teams with real QB questions and decide what teams they'd rather be.

Wanna be like the Bears, who are currently screwed? Maybe the Pats, who are attempting to make Cam work? Or the Niners, who are not the same without Jimmy G? Would you prefer to be the Panthers, with Teddy at QB? Maybe we'd prefer to be the Jets or Giants, who else have top 10 QBs who are not looking great?

Even some good teams are trying to survive with second-run QBs: Saints with Jameis, Bucs hoping for a miracle from Brady.

Or perhaps we'd prefer to be the Falcons with Ryan? Or the Colts with Phil?

Give me a break with this shit already. It would be insane to stop this momentum and reboot at QB just because some people can't separate hype from reality.

The reality is that Baker is a winning NFL QB who is currently average to slightly above average. Those are the facts.

And you don't give up even on average QBs, especially not given Baker's circumstances.

And you absolutely have to believe it's probable that Baker's best football is ahead of him. Like, maybe when he goes to a training camp to hone an offense he played the season before?!

As someone said on Twitter, Browns fans are better at handling losing than enjoying winning. I see that as an objective fact.

I feel like Baker’s become more of a game manager than a gunslinger at the moment... partially because our run game is so otherworldly, and partially because teams have plans for him now. Right now, he’s a top half QB, but not a TOP QB.

If that’s the case, then I hope he’s prepared to be paid that way, rather than be on Mahomes money, because the intangibles are so heavily-weighted toward keeping him; his brashness gave us belief, his rapport with his teammates is obvious, and for ONCE, we have a settled QB position.

I want to keep him, but I ain't breaking the bank for him.

Sorry, but Jimmy G got paid based on team results rather than real production. Baker is going to bet paid if the Browns make the playoffs, and he will get paid a lot more if they win in the playoffs.

I have been very impressed with Baker, especially the last three weeks.

Look back to last year. Baker was begging and pleading for some real direction from the coaching staff. And yet, how many times did Baker have to burn extra energy and clock time pre-snap just getting others lined up in the proper position because Freddie's offense wasn't long on discipline? It was inevitable that Baker would show some frustration when things didn't work because of ill conceived game plans. Of course, the national media spun that as Baker being "uncoachable".

Fast forward to 2020. Baker is now in the offense that suits him much better. Stefanski has not been perfect, but he is night and day better and more we organized than his predecessor. Just look at how the pre-snap penalties have been cleaned up, how guys are in position and ready to go. No more wasted energy.

Week 8 against the Raiders. Baker was not perfect, but I think he had a TD pass taken away from him by some questionable officiating. A number of his teammates mentally were already at the bye.

But the weather conditions were horrific. Not an excuse, but he needed to learn how to adjust to that. Throwing a ball in a wind tunnel is not ideal.

Week 9 against the Texans was an even more brutal weather day. And your rookie left tackle had his first really bad day. And yet Baker persevered to get the win.

Yesterday, in a monsoon, Baker triumphed again, relying once again on a punishing running game that is finding itself because Teller and Chubb are back. Baker took his shots when needed, but most importantly, did not give the ball away.

More and more, I am appreciating the growth as an NFL QB I am seeing from Baker. Like Shep has been saying all along, let's give him this full year under the tutelage of an aggressive and competent coaching staff and see where we land. The madness of jettisoning head coaches and QBs every two years just has to stop. Baker and Stefanski have shown an awful lot of progress this season. Imagine what they can do when they are really comfortable with each other in year two.

Me? I am riding with number 6.

Browns are 21-20 since he arrived, something like 16-7 at home. They were 3 and a million before that. I wouldn't start all over until he actually sucks, which he has not.

After basically completing 22 straight passes in our last "non weather game," Baker was really good against the Raiders, had 5 key passes dropped, really should've been like 18 of 25 for 235 in shit weather. Not as good against the Texans in a hurricane, but who would've mastered that shit? Then he was damn solid yesterday except for the cringey miss to Hooper wide open in the end zone.

Again, it was pouring rain the entire day. It's gonna affect passers, clearly. Baker didn't wanna say it but also couldn't resist: The ball was often waterlogged.

There's a reason Shanahan is so clearly committing to Jimmy G.: They win with him and not without him because he's good. Not great, but good and can get really hot. He's been to a Super Bowl so there's no question that you can win with him. They were really close to taking home the trophy.

I think Baker will be better than that. I think he has the potential to be great, but I'd take "very good." It's harder to find than many think. I think he suits the offense and they'll grow together, find opportunities to take advantage of his deep arm and accuracy (like the Titans and Tannehill).

I do think they need to pay Chubb, find a way to make it work in a way it almost never does, a second deal for a back. He likes being part of a tandem, how it keeps him fresh and could extend his career. Been doing it his whole life and says he digs it. Both Minnesota and Tennessee paid their backs, same offense.

And they'll need to reduce their WR payroll, it's wildly out of whack for what we do.

I think we're gonna be trouble down the stretch. I really do.