Browns QB Baker Mayfield: People took Tyrod Taylor for granted

Tyrod Taylor was named the Houston Texans starting quarterback this season amid the Deshaun Watson drama, and he'll face his former team in the Cleveland Browns this weekend.

Speaking with reporters earlier this week, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield said he believes people took Taylor for granted in the past, adding the veteran did a tremendous job showing him the ropes when he was a rookie. 

"I think people took Tyrod for granted," Mayfield said, according to Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com. "I think he's an extremely good leader. I think his work ethic alone, just his routine and being the same guy every single day for every single person in the building, it's a tremendous way of showing his leadership.

"Everything that he taught me, leading by example and doing different things, not saying that we lead the same way, but there's always different ways to learn, and I'm very thankful to have stepped in a QB room with Drew Stanton and Tyrod that I was able to learn from those guys. It's something I'm obviously very grateful for."

Taylor has been supplanted by a rookie quarterback in each of his last two stops due to injuries, with Mayfield being elevated to QB1 and Justin Herbert landing the job with the Los Angeles Chargers.

However, the 32-year-old has a legitimate opportunity with the Texans. Watson isn't expected to play for the franchise this season, and it's unlikely Houston will start 2021 third-round pick Davis Mills over Taylor.

Taylor looked great in his Texans' debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend, completing 64% of his passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns. He also had four carries for 40 yards. 

The Browns should be a much more difficult opponent for Taylor and the Texans. However, Taylor isn't thinking about that, telling reporters he's excited to return to Cleveland and hopes to execute at a high level.