Nobody can say who holds the Browns' trash-talking crown for sure.
The players can certainly narrow it down.
"Probably either Baker (Mayfield) or (Jabrill Peppers)," wide receiver Jarvis Landry said. "Them two go at it all day."
The back-and-forths emerge during competitive periods between the first-team offense and defense. At this point in the season, it's not the most common occurrence for the starters to compete against each other. But when they do, they want to simulate as real of a game experience as they can. And for Peppers, that means jawing with the quarterback.
"We're just ultimate competitors," Peppers said. "He feeds off it and plays better. I feed off it."
While it may help on the field, Mayfield's talk has earned him plenty of ridicule away from it. He's been often criticized for speaking his mind and not acting like what he calls a "cookie-cutter quarterback." Peppers doesn't understand why, though. He's seen Mayfield's style work before.
"I personally like it," Peppers said. "Everyone feels different about how they want their quarterback to be, but I've always played with the fiery, talk-smack-back-to-you, get-in-your-face kind of guys. And all the ones I saw did well. So I hope he doesn't change."
With Peppers around to act as Mayfield's foil, change seems unlikely. Also unlikely: Mayfield letting any outside noise affect him. Peppers said he hasn't found anything that knocks Mayfield off his game. He just tries to emote a reaction from Mayfield in hopes it breaks Mayfield's concentration just long enough to force an overthrow. Most times, though, Peppers comes up empty.
In those moments, Peppers might turn to his backup, the self-proclaimed "best trash talker in the world," Damarious Randall. Randall hasn't cracked Mayfield yet, either. But he did provide Peppers with a partner-in-chatter.
"You see (Randall) talking smack and going crazy, it makes you want to do the same thing," Peppers said.
Peppers also mentioned he and Randall aren't afraid to double-team opposing players when it comes to jabber. If they take his mind off even a couple of plays, they've done their jobs.
Peppers will go to many lengths to occupy that valuable space in his opponent's mind. He isn't afraid to do research. But of course, every trash talker has his code.
"I do it all," Peppers said. "I'm not one of those guys who gets real personal because I don't like that either. Most of the time when we talk smack, know the guy. It's just in between those white lines, it's no friends.
"We can be cool, take pictures after the game. But we've got a job to do here."
