If you're watching Steelers-Panthers on Thursday night, you might want to flip over to catch some Browns-Lions.
It might be your last chance to see Baker Mayfield play for a while, if at all, this season.
That's because Cleveland coach Hue Jackson reiterated on Tuesday that Tyrod Taylor is the quarterback of the present and that Mayfield is the QB of the future.
That means that when the Browns host the Steelers in Week 1 at FirstEnergy Stadium, it'll be Taylor under center and Mayfield holding a clipboard.
Although Mayfield is capable of being the starter, Jackson says the Browns are sticking to their plan of bringing the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft along slowly.
If any organization knows the pitfalls of rushing a young QB into a starting role, it is the Browns. In case you forgot, Tim Couch, Brady Quinn, Charlie Frye, Colt McCoy and Cody Kessler were all drafted in the top three rounds of the NFL Draft, only to see their careers fizzle out in Cleveland.
“It will be different for (Mayfield)," Jackson told reporters in Cleveland. "It is my job to just keep creating an environment for him here in practice. I will always find ways to make sure that he gets extra practice as we go throughout the season. I think that is what is going to get him to where he needs to be.”
To his credit, the 2017 Heisman winner seems to be taking his role as a backup like a pro, deferring to Taylor, a ninth-year veteran who helped Buffalo to its first playoff appearance in 18 years last season.
Taylor was dealt to Cleveland for a third-round pick in last April's draft. The 30-year-old is 0-1 against the Steelers in his career, completing 15-of-25 passes for 228 yards with two TDs, one interception and taking five sacks.
"They told me from the get-go, from back when I was still just doing the interviews and the visits, that they had a plan,'' Mayfield said. "They had a plan in place of what they wanted to do and they've been very honest. So I've known that from the get-go and I've been a team guy always and I knew my role once I got here is to help change this thing around and help us win, so right now it's getting my reps and getting better but also doing (play) cards against the defense."
Mayfield will start Thursday night's preseason finale against the Lions and is expected to play at least a half. Of course, that will be against second- and third-teamers. In his lone appearance against a first-team defense, Mayfield completed 2-of-5 for 19 yards and a 51.2 rating when he replaced an injured Taylor for two series in a 5-0 win against Philadelphia last week.
"That just goes to show that I have to be ready,'' he said. "It's been that way since middle school, so it was just another showcase that I was able to take advantage of."
Only if Taylor is injured or the Browns struggle — a distinct possibility given that Cleveland is 1-31 the past two seasons — would Cleveland then turn to Mayfield.
After the Sept. 9 opener in Cleveland, the Steelers won't face the Browns until Week 8, Oct. 28 at Heinz Field.