Baker Mayfield's 2019 season, so far, is the definition of a sophomore slump. Through six games, Mayfield, who last year set the NFL record for touchdown passes by a rookie quarterback, has completed just 56.6 percent of his passes. He's also thrown just five touchdown passes while tossing a league high 11 interceptions. His poor play is among the main reasons why the Cleveland Browns, a trendy preseason pick to win the AFC North division, is 2-4 entering their Week 7 bye. 

Ryan Leaf, arguably the biggest draft bust in NFL history, sees similarities between himself and Mayfield. The No. 2 overall pick of the San Diego Chargers in the 1998 draft (right behind Peyton Manning, who was taken by the Indianapolis Colts with the first overall pick), Leaf completed less than 50 percent of his pass attempts in 25 career games while compiling a 4-17 record as an NFL starting quarterback. Leaf's poor play led to brash talk and altercations with the media, something Leaf is currently seeing with regard to Mayfield. 

"When things start to go bad, you put yourself out there in this form," Leaf recently said on "The Rich Eisen Show," via USA Today Sports. "And people can easily attack it. I have a very small sample size: 2-0 to start my NFL career. Talking a lot of smack. And then I walk into Kansas City and put up the worst football game of my existence."

After a 2-0 start to his career, Leaf's career took a permanent downturn in Week 3 of his rookie season. Playing on a rain-soaked Arrowhead Stadium field, Leaf went 1 of 15 for four yards while throwing two interceptions. He followed that performance up with a four-interception outing the following week in a loss to the New York Giants. Leaf finished his rookie season with two touchdowns, 15 interceptions and a 3-7 record as the Chargers' starting quarterback. 

Instead of taking his proverbial medicine, Leaf was unable to control his emotions, getting into altercations with fans as well as with media members. His lack of maturity, coupled by his inability to play winning football on Sundays, led to his career being over after just four seasons. 

"I've always been this brash, arrogant kind of guy," said Leaf, who was hired by ESPN earlier this year to serve as a college football commentator. "That's the way I came back at everybody instead of just walking up in front of the camera and going, 'Oh my God. This was my fault. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure this doesn't happen again.' And hearing Baker [on Sunday] -- even though small -- blame the officials for some calls is problematic for me because as a quarterback, you want to be able to stand up in front of everybody and take personal accountability."

While Leaf is seeing some red flags with regard to Mayfield, Ryan Lindley, Mayfield's position coach in Cleveland, believes that his quarterback's struggles can mostly be attributed to opposing defenses "digging into Mayfield's film" this season. 

"[Defenses] are mixing up coverages," he said, via Cleveland.com's May Kay Cabot. "It's something you see with everybody when guys go from their first to second year. Everybody builds a book on different guys scouting report-wise. He's going to see different looks. People have looked at his tape last year, too, and we're seeing how people play him differently.

"We'll continue to see how he can react and adapt to those things and we'll also change what we do."

Lindley added that Mayfield has some technical things that he needs to correct, too. 

"Sometimes it's with his feet, he speeds himself up," he said. "At times he thinks maybe too quickly, his feet follow up and you're trying to catch up. It's a variety of different things. Whether it's his feet, whether it's his mind at times, we all need to iron it down and get on the same page."

One thing that Lindley did not seem concerned about is Mayfield's attitude and demeanor, something that continues to be called into question by media members that now includes Leaf. 

"On a day-to-day basis, you still see the things he does on the field and the way he carries himself," he said. "The best part is he's still young and he's still growing. You see what that kid's going to become and what he is and that's something special.''