Alex Van Pelt Presser Provides Some Clarity On His Role, Plans For Baker Mayfield
Wednesday, new Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt discussed some of what he hopes to accomplish, but most of the questions largely surrounded Baker Mayfield entering his third season and what Van Pelt intends to do with him. Beyond all of the talk of what they hope will take place on the football field, Van Pelt confirmed that even if the title doesn't reflect it, he will be "...the voice in the [quarterback] room".
"One of my strengths as a coach is coaching the quarterback so I definitely want to make that part of my job responsibilities.”
Van Pelt isn't concerned with calling plays, but he is intent on making a mark with Mayfield, laying out a lot of what he plans to do from a technical standpoint. A lot of it focused on his footwork.
"Right now, he has his right foot up. I think we are going to switch it to left foot up and see how he likes that. To me, that allows a quarterback to play with more rhythm. It is quarterback junky talk, but it is something I believe in.”
Van Pelt thinks it will make Mayfield operate faster and on time. "...it helps in the three-step game, the quick game. There is more rhythm and it is not as robotic. It is more fluid. I have always used the term that I want the feet to be like Mozart and not like Metallica, if that makes sense. Not to say that he is, but with the footwork, it is just the fluid motion moving back there in the pocket as you go through your progressions.”
This also led to comments made Baker Mayfield made earlier in the offseason when he said he doesn't intend to work with an outside quarterback coach. Van Pelt agrees with the decision, trying to ensure that Mayfield is only working on what the Browns want him to do.
“No disrespect to any of the guys who work with quarterbacks [in the offseason] – they all do a great job – but I would like to consider myself in that area and I would like to have him do it how we would do it here. If somebody is on board with how we do it, but I would hate to have him go somewhere else and teach him a different set of footwork or drill work.”
Van Pelt has talked with Mayfield on multiple occasions, met with Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham and is excited to work with the talent this offense has assembled. He confirmed the obvious, which is the offensive line needs to get better. Van Pelt seemed encouraged by the tight end group the Browns have, noted how important it is to what the Browns want to do on offense in the running game as well as the playaction passing game.
