In 2019, Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, the NFL’s top pick the year before, was critical of the New York Giants’ first-round pick, Duke quarterback Daniel Jones.
“I cannot believe the Giants took Daniel Jones. It blows my mind,” Mayfield told GQ at the time. “Some people overthink it. That’s where people go wrong. They forget you’ve gotta win.”
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To his credit, Jones didn’t take the bait and shrugged off Mayfield’s comments.
The Giants took Jones with the sixth overall selection in 2019 and the jury is still out. Mayfield, however, backtracked on his original comments later that summer.
“This is not what I said, just so we’re clear,” Mayfield said. “I also said I was surprised I got drafted number one. Then was talking about the flaws in evaluating QBs, where I brought up winning being important. Reporters and media will do anything to come up with a click bait story… Heard nothing but good things and wish nothing but the best for Daniel.”
But here we are two summers later and Mayfield is still being held to that original assessment of the Giants and Jones.
In front of the media pool at the joint practice being held on Friday between the Giants and Browns. the former Heisman Trophy winner continued to stress that there is no ill will between him, Jones and the Giants.
In fact, Mayfield said, he and Jones spent time together in Austin this offseason working out with former Giants quarterback Colt McCoy.
“We’re good. We’re great,” Mayfield told reporters on Friday. “They came down to Austin with Colt. . . We’re good. We talked through that.”
Mayfield was selected first overall in the 2018 NFL draft, one slot ahead of Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, who went to the Giants. The Giants have been heavily criticized for both the Barkley and Jones picks, but general manager Dave Gettleman is standing by those decisions.
“Absolutely, absolutely,” Gettleman said when asked if he’s still confident in the Barkley pick. “Stuff happens, not everything’s perfect and there are guys all over this league who get hurt, big-time players. He’s done a great job and I feel the same way about him. He’s different and he’s going to be ready to go when he’s ready to go.
“Really and truly, you can talk about injuries at any position. I would not make a different decision than I made in 2018, plain and simple.”
Gettleman took a similar tone with Jones.
“We believe in Daniel, we’re excited to see what he’s going to do in the second year in the (offensive) system,” Gettleman said. “Before this last year, it was his third system in three years, so this’ll be the second year in a system. You know how diligent the kid is, we’ve talked about it all the time. He works just as hard on the field as he does off the field. He’s more comfortable, he’s more prepared. It’ll be fun to see what happens when we finally give him a full complement of players out there.”
Meanwhile, Mayfield continued his tongue-in-cheek trash talk with Barkley, wide receiver Sterling Shepard and safety Jabrill Peppers on Friday, calling Saquon his “son” and poking fun at Peppers’ 5-foot-11 height.
“Saquon is like my little brother,” Mayfield said. “I treat him like my son. I pat him on the head, tell him great job. No, he’s a great guy. . . He’s just a good guy that’s extremely competitive.
“Jabrill and I have been going back and forth since 2016 when I first met him. He’s just one of those guys. He’s a high-energy guy. You love competing against people like that. You’re always going to hear where he’s at but you gotta let him know likewise that it’s fun to compete against somebody that you’ve had a personal relationship with.”