The top overall pick — and Cleveland's quarterback of the future — will make his first NFL start and play as much as a half on Thursday night when the Browns visit the Detroit Lions in an exhibition that will feature backups as well as third- and fourth-stringers fighting for precious roster spots before this weekend's cuts.Mayfield's current job as the Browns' No. 2 QB behind Tyrod Taylor is secure Kenny Golladay Jersey , but the Heisman Trophy winner is looking forward to a chance to make an another positive impression."I'm very ready," Mayfield said Tuesday following practice. "It's another opportunity for me. I've been saying it over and over again, I need to take advantage of my opportunities and this is a great one to come out and show what I can do from the get-go, set the tone not just for the offense but for the whole team."Not wanting to risk injury, Browns coach Hue Jackson is resting his starters against the Lions so his team is as healthy as possible for the Sept. 9 season opener against Pittsburgh. Taylor is already banged up after dislocating his pinky and bruising his left (non-throwing) hand last week against Philadelphia and Jackson isn't going to take any unnecessary chances."The best team that we're going to have for the 2018 season is going to be the team that we'll trot out against Pittsburgh." Jackson said.As for Mayfield, the former Oklahoma star will get significant time to tune up for the season. Mayfield has been everything the Browns could have hoped for when they chose him first from a quarterback class that included Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen, all of whom could start regular-season games before Mayfield.The Browns have mapped out a strategy to bring Mayfield along slowly and are committed to playing Taylor — this season. Obviously, things could change if there's an injury and the Browns were reminded of the brittleness of their preconceived approach when Taylor went down against the Super Bowl champion Eagles and Jackson was forced to turn to Mayfield.But as he has done throughout training camp and preseason, the rookie showed he could be counted on in a pinch. Mayfield didn't do anything spectacular Authentic Kerryon Johnson Jersey , but he managed the game, didn't make any major mistakes and wasn't rattled."You do not want those things to happen, but at the same time, it was good for me to see that," Jackson said. "To watch him and say, 'You are up. It is time to go.' He did not blink. He was like, 'OK, let's go.' I know that he was disappointed in himself — that is just him — with what he did in the game. I thought that he did some really good things. I feel good about that as we head into the season."Mayfield was down on himself following the game, saying he could have made quicker decisions and better reads. But he's got this week to work on those and others aspects of his game.And he's not letting the fact that it could be some time before he's starting again affect his preparation or performance."I always put 100 percent in every opportunity I get so I'm going to treat this one the same as I would any other," he said. "Because if I went into it with that mindset that this is my last time Youth LeGarrette Blount Jersey , I might try to do something different than just my job so I need to settle in and just do my job."NOTES: Incumbent K Zane Gonzalez appears to have kept his job. The Browns waived free agent Ross Martin, who had been brought into camp to challenge Gonzalez. A seventh-round pick in 2017, Gonzalez made 15 of 20 field-goal tries last season and 25 of 26 extra points. He converted a 54-year field goal against the Eagles. ... Starting free S Damarious Randall is getting a second opinion on a knee injury. Randall's knee "locked up" last week during pregame warmups. Jackson said "none of that stuff" when asked if Randall needs surgery. ... The Browns signed OL Earl Watford, cut on Sunday by Chicago. He played in 43 games for Arizona, making 21 starts.Newly-traded Lions LB Eli Harold already has 49ers game circled on calendar Detroit Lions linebacker Eli Harold was not thrilled when he saw that San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch had texted him, asking him to call him back. It’s rarely good news when the general manager is reaching out to you at this time of year, so Harold was preparing of the worst. He thought he was cut. He thought his career in San Francisco was over. He was half right.The 49ers ended up trading Harold to the Lions for just a conditional seventh-round pick, which is as close to nothing as you can get in an NFL trade. Harold, who had been taken first-string reps throughout all of camp, was taken aback by the move. “It was kind of surprising http://www.lionsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-christian-jones-jersey ,” Harold said. “I had been starting there the whole time with the new regime. It’s kind of a surprise. Me and my wife had just moved, she’s eight months pregnant, so it was tough.” That kind of upheaval would be tough on anyone, especially someone who thought their job was safe. But Harold said he felt some relief that he’s joining a team that actually wants him.“Luckily it was a trade and not a cut,” Harold told reporters Tuesday. “I’m just excited to be here and that somebody wanted me enough to trade for me.”And now that he’s in Detroit, he’s all-in, and he’s already looking ahead to Week 2, when Detroit travels back to San Francisco for a date with the 49ers. “It’s marked, it’s definitely marked,” Harold said with a laugh. “It hurt Devon Kennard Jersey , man. I started my pro life there. Me and my wife moved out there my rookie year, and all my close friends are out there, and you build a rapport with a group of guys, and we were young.”And while Harold will obviously have some extra motivation that week, he’s already preparing to move on. Joining the ranks of linebackers as a “SAM/left d-end” (his own words), Harold is just focused on learning the new playbook and using the veterans around him as resources.“It hurt, but onto new things. I’m happy. I’m settling in. We’ve got a good group of guys here, and I’m excited. I’m really excited.”