The Cleveland Browns are taking a different approach this off-season. They are flying under the radar.
No bold off-season moves, no bringing in big name players, no talk of post-season play.
Just very business like, and at the same time very logical.
It helps that the national media isn’t jumping on the bandwagon, like last year when the Browns traded for Odell Beckham Jr. and every talking head in the county was proclaiming a playoff appearance for Cleveland.
That’s not to say, the playoffs isn’t a goal for the 2020 Browns, we are sure that behind the scenes, GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski know that if things fall into place, they can win 10 or more games and get to the post-season. However, they aren’t putting that goal out there in public the way former GM John Dorsey did.
It happens every year in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers were 4-12 in 2018, and last year went to the Super Bowl with a 13-3 record.
The previous year, it was the Chicago Bears making the leap from 5-11 to 12-4 and an NFC North championship.
And in 2017, Jacksonville went from 3-13 to 10-6 and a playoff spot as a result of winning the AFC South.
So, we know it can be done, but there’s no reason to proclaim it to everyone who will listen.
And we know the Browns’ players didn’t publicly talk about it, is was driven by the national talking heads because of the rookie play of Baker Mayfield and the acquisition of Beckham, but we still feel the talk got to the coaching staff and front office, and the Browns got away from doing the things that made them successful in the second half of 2018.
Look, the Browns have talent, especially on the offensive side of the football. You could make a claim they have the best set of skill position players in the NFL, not counting quarterback.
They have the man who finished second in the league in rushing a year ago in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, who led the NFL in rushing in 2017 and had 824 yards in 11 games the following year.
At wide receiver, they have Beckham Jr. of course, and Jarvis Landry, a five time Pro Bowler (in six seasons), coming off a career high 1174 receiving yards.
They signed Austin Hooper, a tight end who has made two Pro Bowls and is coming off a career high 75 receptions with Atlanta last season, and former first round pick David Njoku, who missed most of last year with injuries, but caught 56 passes in ’18.
So, offensive talent is there, assuming the offensive line gels.
The defensive side of the football is still where the questions are, but when you start with Myles Garrett at defensive end, that’s a good thing. And you have Denzel Ward at cornerback, who still had excellent grades from Pro Football Focus on his cover skills, although many people thought he had kind of a down year.
With this talent, why should the brass be conservative? Because this group of players doesn’t know how to win just yet. They haven’t done it, and without a doubt it’s a learned skill.
That’s the biggest challenge the coaching staff has this upcoming season, teaching the way to win. And the biggest thing that will help is getting some wins early in the season.
There is no doubt in our minds that had the Browns had an easier schedule early in the year, it would have made a difference. Look at Buffalo’s season in 2019–they opened with the Jets, Giants, and Bengals, going 3-0, before losing a close one to New England, 16-10.
They started to believe in themselves, went 10-6 and made the playoffs.
That’s why despite the talent, the front office and head coach aren’t making any bold proclamations about this season. Learning to win is the first lesson the Browns need to grasp.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 