Cavs Winning While Testing Things Out.

Do you want to know how you can tell the Cleveland Cavaliers are a real good basketball team? It’s because they haven’t played very well to date and yet they have a 10-6 record after the first five weeks of the NBA season.

There have been a lot of injuries for sure. Max Strus hasn’t played yet and like won’t until the middle of December at the earliest. Darius Garland has played in only three games. Sam Merrill has missed time. De’Andre Hunter has missed three contests. Jaylon Tyson has been out the last four games in concussion protocol.

So, there hasn’t been very much continuity for Kenny Atkinson, yet this team is so good, they still have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Frankly, we are fine with this. We have been saying since training camp started, we would be happy if the wine and gold got off to a slower start and approached the playoffs playing their best basketball.

Last year, Cleveland relied on the three point shot quite a bit and it worked. They took 45.7% of their field goals from behind the arc and converted on 38.3% of those long range tries.

This season, they are taking even more threes (49.1%) but making less at 34.9%. In watching the games, we don’t see enough of what analyst Brad Daugherty talks about, which is playing inside out, meaning getting the ball in the paint or in a post-up situation and then kicking out to a wide-open shooter.

One of the things about last season’s squad was the guys who took the most 3s also shot at a very good percentage. The leaders in three-points attempts last year were: Donovan Mitchell (36.8%), Darius Garland (40.1%), Sam Merrill (37.2%), Strus (38.6%) and Ty Jerome (43.9%).

The league average was 36% and all five of the players taking the most long distance shots for Cleveland a year ago were above league average.

This year, the league wide percentage is about the same (35.8%).

And two of the top five shot takers from beyond the arc, Hunter (31%) and Lonzo Ball (31.3%) are well below the league average. Both are historically better than that. Hunter has made 36.9% for his career, while Ball has knocked them down at a 36.1% clip.

So perhaps those two should take the ball to the hoop a little more until they regain their touch from long range.

Much has been made about the lack of minutes for Jarrett Allen in the fourth quarter of games, but at this point in the season, we chalk that up to experimentation by the coaching staff. Allen is still a solid defender and good rebounder, and that’s greatly needed if you have a lead down the stretch.

If you haven’t noticed, the NBA is getting longer and having more size, particularly on the wings will be even more important. We have talked about the Cavs not having enough size for a few years now. That’s why we are happy to see Nae’Qwan Tomlin have some success.

He’s 6’10” and very active on the glass, particularly on the offensive end. And having Tyson and Ball, both at 6’6″ adds some size to the backcourt when needed. Think about it, without the injuries, does Tomlin get any playing time?

But having Garland’s shooting is also important for offensive spacing. Perhaps in the playoffs it will be like baseball. Get the lead and then bring in the defenders.

We haven’t moved off of our belief that this is the time for the Cavs to see what works and what doesn’t. It’s a good thing they are able to do that and still win more often than not.

Browns Issue Isn’t QB. It’s Everything Else On Offense (Pretty Much)

In the end, the Cleveland Browns showed their fans something in the 23-16 loss to Baltimore on Sunday that dropped the team’s record to 2-8 on the season.

That 2-8 coupled with last season’s 3-14 mark means Kevin Stefanski’s (and Andrew Berry too) team is now 5-22 over the last 27 games. No question that is not acceptable for any franchise.

But we digress. What Sunday’s game showed is even though the Browns have two first round picks in next April’s NFL Draft, they should stay away from their stated goal of getting their “franchise quarterback”.

They simply aren’t ready for that.

The Browns simply don’t have nearly enough on the offensive side of the football for any quarterback to succeed. The line is a sieve. The tackle position was already one of the worst in the NFL, and then both starters, Cam Robinson and the oft-injured Jack Conklin, went out, meaning KT Levenston and Teven Jenkins (bet you forgot he was on the team) wound up playing outside.

They are weak at the wide receiver position. Jerry Jeudy is okay, but he’s not a go to guy. Cedric Tillman has size, something in short supply with the Browns, and really who else?

They have two solid tight ends in veteran David Njoju and rookie Harold Fannin, but because the line is so poor, the former is being used primarily as a blocker, despite showing he can be a weapon in the passing game.

Fannin has been fine but needs to cut down on the number of drops.

Another rookie, Quinshon Judkins has been good, but there is no compliment to him really, and on the 4th and 6 play at the end of the game, he wasn’t on the field. Why? Who knows. He’s probably the best offensive player on the team, so why should he be on the field on the most important play of the game?

And now for the current QB situation. First, the offense really mustered up only six points, as the Browns had a defensive touchdown from Devin Bush and were set up on the 5-yard-line after a fumbled punt.

The passing attack was non-existent as the Browns had just 81 yards through the air. Dillon Gabriel was passable in the first half, completing seven of ten for 68 yards, but couldn’t put the ball in the end zone. And 26 of his yards came on one throw to Tillman, so his other six completions netted just 42 yards.

Gabriel left at halftime due to a possible concussion (maybe not RPOs with a smaller QB), so we got to see Shedeur Sanders’ NFL debut which was less than auspicious.

The fifth-round pick completed his first two throws, then went 2 for his next 14 and showed his bad habit of retreating in the pocket and taking huge losses when sacked.

Will he look any better with increased practice time? We may find out this week.

Defensively, what more can you say about Myles Garrett, who had four more sacks and appears headed to his second Defensive Player of the Year Award. We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: He’s the best defensive player in the history of the Browns.

And although Berry’s drafts should be criticized and scrutinized, he found a gem in LB Carson Schwesinger, who was all over the field, and gained his second interception. He’s probably the Defensive Rookie of the Year and should be considered for All-Pro honors.

Those two make these games worth watching, and Garrett’s chase for the season record for sacks will continue to make it compelling. He has 15 with seven games to play and the record is 22.5. He is simply incredible.

It’s on to Las Vegas. Can the Browns win? Sure, the Raiders aren’t very good. But the Browns haven’t won on the road since week two of last season. So, we might see a 0-0 tie.

Actually, that might be fun!

Browns Just Don’t Have It. A Culture That Is

We definitely believe that winning is a learned skill. Yes, it comes through experience, but it is also a mindset. It’s a lot like waking up in the morning and deciding if you are going to have a good day or a bad day.

Or you are an optimist or a pessimist.

We do complain about the money the Cleveland Guardians spend, but there is no question in our mind that there still is an attitude of we are going to win throughout the organization.

We all saw it this past season, when the Guards fell 15 games out of first place, and lost their closer to a suspension and still wound up winning the American League Central Division. Of course, that comes from over a decade of success, but their manager, the front office, and the players didn’t let negatives creep into their mindset.

Since Terry Francona was hired by the team in 2013, the Indians/Guardians have only missed the post-season five times and the worst season they had was a year where they lost 86 games.

There has been no tanking, no deliberate losing.

The same holds true for the Cavaliers, who won the city’s only professional sports title since 1964 in 2016. Yes, they had some down years when LeBron James left via free agency, but we would guess that everyone involved with the Cavs knows owner Dan Gilbert wants to win, and they take steps to get back to that each year.

Just five seasons after James departed, the Cavaliers won 51 regular season games. Yes, the LeBron years set a foundation and expectation to win, and it continues today.

Which brings us to the Browns. From our perspective, it doesn’t appear there is a culture of winning. Now what is that? We don’t know exactly, but you can tell who has it and who doesn’t.

We have said this many times on this site, but the Browns are like the sign in the bar proclaiming free beer tomorrow. One of the area’s sports writers (Jason Lloyd) has written the Browns are great at talking about different plans to win, but they rarely are able to execute them.

The front office is stuck on having one way to be able to win, getting a franchise quarterback, and they think there is only one way to do that, and that is to get a very high draft pick.

We have detailed in past posts that there is simply no evidence to suggest that a path to success. When you look around the league, yes, you probably need to have a QB drafted in the first round to be able to win, but it’s more about recognizing talent.

We all know the Browns did have the first pick overall and drafted a QB just eight years ago in Baker Mayfield and after a few years, they convinced themselves he wasn’t the guy. How is that working out?

They saw a shiny object in the corner in Deshaun Watson and decided to move on from Mayfield and trade for him? Why, because it makes the process easier and quicker.

There isn’t an easy way to establish culture. It’s hard and sometimes painful.

We laugh at times at the “tanking crowd” because they will look at some quarterback with disdain. They want the first overall pick in the draft, but only when and if guys like Joe Burrow, Andrew Luck, or Peyton Manning are at the top.

So, the strategy is luck of the draw? If so, that’s a poor method.

Heck, the owner told everyone the hope is to find the “franchise quarterback” in 2026. What do the players think about that? It’s hard to set a winning culture when the team owner is talking about next season.

Free beer tomorrow.

That’s why new leadership is needed. Not new ownership, because no one is selling a cash cow. But someone who will set a standard of winning football games, no matter who the QB is or what else surrounds the team.

All you have to do is look two hours to the east and the rival Steelers. They have a winning culture. And guess what, they are always in the mix.

Stop making plans, stop making excuses. That’s the first step to building a culture.

Clase And Ortiz Join A Sad Tale In Professional Sports

Without a doubt, professional sports has embraced their relationship with gambling. It used to be taboo to associate the two, but now there is an incredible amount of advertising revenue associated with it.

Most people our age grew up with the pro and college football betting sheets in which you would pick a three, four, five (or perhaps more) parlay to win some cash through a “bookie”.

Heck, when we were in high school, another student passing out the “schedule” and taking wagers on the NFL.

But the leagues themselves condemned wagering, mostly because the players would have to be involved with “ne’er do wells”. We know about the Black Sox Scandal and Pete Rose, but probably less are aware that in 1963, the NFL suspended star players Paul Hornung, the ’61 league MVP and Alex Karras for betting on games.

Basketball has had point shaving scandals mostly involving college basketball, and of course the whole Tim Donaghy scandal whereas a referee, he was betting on games and making calls that influenced them.

Even though there is legal gambling now, we really don’t do it much, in fact, if we do, it is usually when we are out of town. And because we have been around sports our whole life, the prop bets are something we stay away from, because so many things can influence them.

We bring this up, of course, because of the news involving Guardians’ pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz this past week. It is very likely neither will ever play Major League Baseball again, and even if somehow, they are only suspended for a year, the organization won’t allow them to throw another pitch for Cleveland.

There is no defense for either pitcher. There is a mandatory meeting in spring training that covers gambling and although we have never been in a big-league clubhouse, it has been reported that there are signs about gambling posted.

We are sure both Clase and Ortiz felt they weren’t doing anything to alter the outcome of the games, but they are just fooling themselves. Of course, they were.

It was reported that Clase was allegedly texting his co-conspirators during games, which is also a violation of MLB rules. Reading that gave us the chills.

And we are sure there are other situations such as this being investigated in the big four professional sports. Just in the last month, you have had this and the situation involving Terry Rozier of the Miami Heat, Chauncey Billups, and former Cavalier player Damon Jones.

MLB recently asked its partners in gambling to place a limit on the amount of money wagered on these prop bets to $200. Perhaps a better solution would be to ban these types of bets in all major sports.

You can bet on the overcome of the game, but not on individual performances.

As soon as people don’t have confidence that the result in professional sports is not on the up and up, it’s the end of the popularity.

If Clase is indeed found guilty, he wasted what could have been a great career. He’s arguably the best closer in the baseball right now, leading the American League in saves three straight seasons (2022-2024) and has a career ERA of 1.88 over 360 innings and 366 appearances.

It’s time for professional sports to be proactive in getting this situation under control, and they need to do it right away.

One Thing The Browns Can Hang Their Hat On? Finding Weird Ways To Lose

One thing the Cleveland Browns excel at is inventing new ways to lose football games. The most famous one was losing because Dwayne Rudd threw his helmet in celebration of what appeared to be a victory, which drew a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct, giving Kansas City the 15 yards needed to kick a game winning field goal.

They’ve lost on a potential game winning field goal being blocked and returned for a touchdown.

Add Sunday’s game to the list. Yes, the Browns were behind 27-20 before a couple of boneheaded penalties took away any chance for them to come back and tie the woeful New York Jets, but we can’t forget the two special teams touchdowns for the Jets that were partially responsible for the home team’s lead.

Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees took over play calling for this game, and we did see more downfield throws from Dillon Gabriel, but with those longer throws came more sacks, as Gabriel took six sacks behind the Browns’ horrible pass protection.

The rookie from Oregon did complete 17 of 32 for 167 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, and did get Jerry Jeudy involved as he caught six throws for 78 yards. On the other hand, Jeudy was really the only wide out targeted, as after the dozen targets for Jeudy, Cedric Tillman was next with four.

On the other hand, there were several non-competitive throws and a couple of potentially terrible mistakes at the end of the first half when Gabriel threw behind Tillman and almost threw a pick in the red zone and then took a sack with no timeouts remaining.

The one good special teams’ play was getting the field goal unit on the field quickly and getting off a 45-yard kick by Andre Szmyt to tie the game at the half.

But watching the game, again our thoughts went to roster construction. Why isn’t there a decent veteran QB on the roster? The organization really has provided the coaching staff with no real alternative at the position.

Yes, we know eventually Shedeur Sanders will see the field, but why deal both Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett so there is no experienced NFL quarterback?

Let’s look at running back. Much like QB, the Browns drafted two players at this position, but the second one, Dylan Sampson, clearly isn’t big enough right now to play in the league. A stiff breeze can bring him down.

Jerome Ford is still here, but the real question is why? He doesn’t figure into the future and was supposedly on the trade block last week. So, why not look at Rocket Sanders, who was signed prior to the opening game and actually scored a touchdown in that game?

As for trying to improve the offensive line? According to reports, the Browns haven’t brought in a lineman for a tryout over the last four weeks. Nor have they signed one off another team’s practice squad.

The defense held the Jets to just 169 yards of total offense, but were gashed for two huge plays from Breece Hall, who caught a 42-yard touchdown pass on a screen, and also had a big 30-yard run, both in the fourth quarter.

You can’t blame that on a tired unit, the Jets only possessed the ball for 26 minutes during the game as Jim Schwartz’ defense forced five punts and an interception by Ronnie Hickman.

The special teams put the Browns into a huge hole. Giving up one kick return for a touchdown is bad enough, but two in one game? Three for the season, and there are still eight games left?

It has been said it’s tough for a special teams coach because the bottom of the roster, where most of their players come from, gets turned over a lot. That’s not the case with the Browns; their roster has been pretty stable.

The Ravens visit next week, and it reminds us they were in the same spot as the Browns three weeks ago at 1-5. But winning is first and foremost in that organization and they have turned it around and won three straight.

Here in Cleveland, everything revolves around finding a quarterback. That’s the wrong goal and until it changes, we get what we see every Sunday.

Garland Helps The Offense For Sure, But…

The Cleveland Cavaliers are finally getting healthy. Friday night against the lowly Washington Wizards, coach Kenny Atkinson was finally able to put the starting lineup he projected over the summer on the floor.

Darius Garland figured to be out until the middle or end of November, but he made his first appearance of the season on Wednesday against Philadelphia. The offense immediately looked a lot better, as the Cavs have scored 132 and 148 points in his first two games back.

And that would figure because Garland is a terrific offensive player and can penetrate and dish very well. Adding someone who scored 20.6 points and doled out 6.7 assists last season should make the offense look better.

After Garland’s debut, all of the people who cover the Cavs were reporting how much better the ball movement and shooting was with Garland back. And it was. However, Sam Merrill, who missed three games and is shooting the three pointer at an outrageous rate so far this season (26 of 45,.578), was also back and shooting like that helps as well.

The pundits said it showed Garland’s importance to the team, and indeed he is important.

However, one of the things we are concerned with and some people who cover the NBA are also, is the size of the Cavs’ backcourt. Remember, and we have said this both last year and this season, what Cleveland does in the regular season is not that important for this group.

It’s what happens in the playoffs.

While Garland contributes a lot to the team, our question is simply this: Would a bigger, taller version of Garland help the offense more? And we continue to say it would. And that’s not a rap on the player. It would also be beneficial to the team if Donovan Mitchell were 6’5″ and not 6’3″. But he isn’t and that’s kind of the issue.

And although it’s one game, we saw some the issues that you can’t have in the playoffs. For example, the Cavaliers had a 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter against the Sixers and won by 11.

Atkinson mentioned after the win Friday night that this is a point of emphasis for him and the team, get a lead and build on it. Don’t let the opponent back in the contest.

They did that against Philadelphia, mostly because they had six of their 15 turnovers in the final quarter. Two were by Evan Mobley and two more from Garland. For his career in the post-season, Garland averages a half a turnover more per game than in the regular season.

No doubt, the reason the team traded for Lonzo Ball was to have a bigger guard who can handle the basketball, someone that Atkinson can pair with either Garland or Mitchell to provide some size but still have someone who has a plus handle.

Ball leads the team in assists despite missing two games and playing only about half the minutes in the games he does appear in.

If a trade doesn’t occur before the playoffs, Cleveland will need Garland for sure, but if the things that have plagued him in the post-season before, turnovers and opponents attacking his defensively, they now have Ball as an alternative.

What are we saying? Yes, Darius Garland is a good player. He’s made two All-Star teams. But remember, many basketball people worry the small backcourt is something the Cavs have to overcome. Can it work in the spring?

That’s still the biggest question surrounding the Cavs.

Why Tank? To Save People’s Jobs

We say this all the time, but the easiest thing to do for a front office for a major sports league front office is to tear down the roster. Why? Because there are two things a team can sell its fans, winning or hope. And trading assets for draft picks provides the latter.

The toughest thing to do is trying to win. Because if you try and don’t succeed as a general manager, you lose your job. Which is where the Browns should be with their current front office. They opened a contention window with the tanking in 2016 and 2017, and all they have to show for it is two playoff appearances and one post-season victory.

Many people are praising the New York Jets for what they did at the NFL trade deadline, trading Sauce Gardner for two first-round picks and Quinnen Williams for another. Presumably, the Jets are looking for their “franchise” quarterback.

Apparently, everyone has forgotten they drafted one with the second overall pick just four years ago in Zach Wilson. How has that worked out?

Meanwhile, the Jets haven’t made the playoffs since 2010 and have had only one winning season (10-6 in 2015) since then.

We question whether the tanking method has worked for any team in recent years. Look at the best teams in the NFL over the last 10 or so years.

The Kansas City Chiefs have won three Super Bowls since 2019. Their worst record since 2010 was a 2-14 mark in 2012 after which they hired Andy Reid. They had the first pick in the ’13 draft and took OT Eric Fisher, not a quarterback.

Philadelphia has won two NFL titles since 2017. They had two seasons since 2010 where they won four games (’12 and ’20). They had the fourth overall pick in 2013 and took OT Lane Johnson, and with the 10th pick in ’21 they took DeVonta Smith.

Buffalo is a perennial contender in the AFC. Their lowest win total since 2010 was a 4-12 record that year. They didn’t draft a QB following that season. They had a 9-7 record the season before they drafted Josh Allen.

Another seemingly perpetual good team is the Baltimore Ravens. They went 5-11 in 2015, their worst record in the last 15 years. They took an offensive lineman, Ronnie Stanley with their top ten pick the following year.

Let’s do one more team, the San Francisco 49ers, who have lost three Super Bowls since 2012. They did finish 2-14 in ’16, drafted DE Solomon Thomas the following season and hired Kyle Shanahan to be the head coach. They did have a 4-12 record in 2018 and again took a DE, Nick Bosa, in the next draft.

We have discussed Joe Burrow being the only top QB taken with the first overall pick, but the Bengals didn’t really tank. Yes, their worst record was 2-14, the year prior to taking Burrow, but they were kind of stuck in mediocrity before that, finishing with six or seven wins the previous three seasons after five straight playoff appearances.

The point is people keep saying the Browns (and other teams) should tank to get their QB when there really isn’t any evidence that it works.

But why do teams keep doing it? To sell hope. To sell the fan base they are going to get the next Patrick Mahomes, Allen, Lamar Jackson, or Burrow. It’s the easiest way to bide time to keep their jobs.

Enjoy the process though!

Browns Claim To Have A Plan. Do They?

Change in the NFL can come quickly. Check out pretty much every season and a team that finished with a poor record the year prior will rise up and make the playoffs, while a playoff team a year before sinks to the basement.

Last season, it was the Washington Commanders going from 4-13 to 12-5 and ultimately the NFC Championship game, while the Browns went the other way, an 11-6 record in ’23 followed by the 3-14 disaster last season.

The year prior, the Houston Texans went from 3-13-1 to 10-7 while Minnesota went from 13-4 in 2022 to a 7-10 mark the next year.

Yes, many times, it’s about getting the quarterback as with Houston (C.J. Stroud) and Washington (Jayden Daniels) and while that’s true, neither of those teams got their QB with the first overall pick, and the other question is it sustainable.

Other times, you think you have the quarterback, and the fan base thinks they have the guy, but they are wrong. Look at the mess in Miami and Arizona. Both teams thought they had the guy, but it doesn’t appear they were correct.

Look at the Chargers. They drafted Justin Herbert in 2020, and he’s probably a top ten QB in the league, but they’ve gone 7-9, 9-8, 10-7, 5-12, and 11-6 with him under center, making the playoffs twice. So, it’s not just the QB.

We bring this up because our local team, the Cleveland Browns, come up with one excuse after another as to why they don’t/can’t win, despite teams taking big jumps up the standings every year.

First, the team seems to believe they can only win by getting a franchise quarterback, and while that has some merit, the notion you can only get that guy by tanking and having the league’s worst record is simply not true.

Yes, Joe Burrow was drafted first overall, but how many of the other top ten QBs in the sport were taken in that spot? Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff. So, the majority of the best QBs in the NFL were not taken first overall.

And if you do get a chance to take a quarterback early in the draft, wouldn’t you want to surround him with a solid offensive line and some other offensive weapons?

Let’s say the Browns identify a QB in next year’s draft as they will likely have a top ten pick. What are you bringing him into? Your offensive line is aging and not very good. You have no real good wide receivers.

Your best weapons on offense are two rookies, RB Quinshon Judkins and TE Harold Fannin Jr. That’s it. And knowing the franchise, they will feel the need to play the rookie QB before he is ready. Just like they have done with Dylan Gabriel.

For all the front office likes to plan for the future (free beer tomorrow!), the truth is they have set themselves up poorly if the plan is to get the QB with their multiple first round picks next spring.

Based on all the other stuff they have mucked up in the last six years, we guess that’s to be expected, right?

The bigger question we guess is do they think they are fooling fans with their non-sense? They are good at making excuses for not winning. It’s also what they have the most experience doing.

Adding Pitching Wouldn’t Be Bad For Guards Either

The Cleveland Guardians have made a reputation over the past 10 years or so as a pitching factory. They’ve pretty much always have had solid pitching.

Since 2007, Cleveland has had five Cy Young Award winners: C.C. Sabathia (’07), Cliff Lee (’08), Corey Kluber (’14 and ’17), and Shane Bieber (’20). This list doesn’t include some guys who had excellent seasons, like Carlos Carrasco, Roberto Hernandez (Fausto Carmona), and Trevor Bauer.

For most of the 2025 season, the pitching was floundering. Tanner Bibee was inconsistent for much of the first five months of the season. Ben Lively had to have Tommy John surgery in May. Luis Ortiz was suspended.

Slade Cecconi was a pleasant surprise, making 23 starts but still had a 4.30 ERA.

Only Gavin Williams, who finished the season 12-5 with a 3.06 ERA, could be counted on to provide solid starts, and he too, had some problems, leading the American League in walks, which led to game where he could only go five innings.

In September, everything gelled. The Guardians went to a six-man rotation with Joey Cantillo, who started the season in relief joining the rotation along with rookie Parker Messick, who compiled a 2.72 ERA in seven starts.

And Bibee started to pitch like we’ve seen him in the past.

So, what about 2025. We know the Guardians’ optimists will think everything is fine, but we (like a lot of baseball people) look at track records. We feel comfortable with Williams and Bibee right now, but we think the front office should still be in the market for pitching this winter.

Cantillo was a solid prospect for a long time, but he’s made just 21 big league starts and he also has issues with the strike zone. When he throws strikes consistently, he’s tough to beat, but he doesn’t do it enough.

We had some snide comments about Cecconi when he was traded to the Guardians (after all he was the return for a guy who hit 30 HRs the year before) and when he was activated, because of a 6.66 ERA in 77 innings for the Diamondbacks in 2024, but he’s kind of an old school pitcher. He induces weak contact and doesn’t have a high K rate.

He pitched a game in Sacramento where he went seven innings of two-hit ball and people on social media were incensed because he only had two strikeouts.

As we said Messick has seven big league starts. Lively likely won’t be back until middle of the year. And although we like Cecconi, he looks like a solid middle to back of the rotation guy.

Among the top prospects, Khal Stephen, the return for Shane Bieber, pitched in AA, and Doug Nikhazy, who made a couple of token appearances with the big club, and had a 5.02 ERA in AAA, are the closest to being ready.

We would like to see the front office add another proven veteran to the mix heading into 2026.

It doesn’t need to be a front of the rotation guy, more like a veteran who can provide innings to keep the bullpen fresh early in the season. That would serve Steven Vogt very well.

And it wouldn’t hurt to have Carl Willis work with him.

Berry Should Share At Least Equal Blame For Browns’ Mess

A few weeks ago, we said it was time for the Cleveland Browns to consider a coaching change. We were pushed over the edge watching an inept offense week after week.

The 17 point threshold is apparently difficult to get past, at least in Cleveland.

However, that doesn’t mean GM Andrew Berry should be off the hook (Paul DePodesta too, but that’s a different conversation). Yes, we know the 2025 draft class looks very good, and yes, we know Berry didn’t have a first round pick for the three prior seasons.

We write that last sentence knowing he was at least part of the decision to trade those picks in the Deshaun Watson trade, so he can’t be excused for not having the choices.

Shouldn’t Berry be part of the group who decides what kind of team the Cleveland Browns will be? A couple of years ago, we would have said they wanted to be a physical squad, running the ball with Nick Chubb and using a play-action passing game.

Defensively, they want to play man-to-man coverage and put a lot of pressure on the quarterback.

So, let’s look at the offense, since that is the huge problem right now.

The offensive line is a major problem, and Berry chose to draft two running backs and two quarterbacks and no linemen last draft. In 2024, he drafted Zak Zinter on the third round, and Zinter has not been active for any game this year.

He did draft two in ’23, Dawand Jones in the 4th round and Luke Wypler in the 6th, and drafted only one, Dawson Deaton in the 7th round in ’22. The year prior it was James Hudson on the 4th.

Jones is often injured and Wypler looks like he has a future. That’s all the GM has to show for the last five drafts.

His misses at the wide receiver position are also well documented. He coveted Jerry Jeudy for several years and then gave him a big contract during his first season with the Browns, by far the best of career.

Here are his draft picks: Anthony Schwartz (3rd round-2021), David Bell (3rd-’22), Michael Woods (5th-’22), Cedric Tillman (3rd-’23), Jamari Thrash (5th-’24). The last two of this group show promise, but there are no standouts to this point.

He signed Isaiah Bond as a free agent, and it seemed like the organization was patting itself on the back for that move, but Bond has shown little so far, and seems to have been handed a starting gig after Tillman was injured.

He also never drafted an heir apparent to Chubb as the running back was getting into his late twenties. A good general manager has to keep his roster prepared.

Berry has famously drafted only one Pro Bowler as well, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, in the drafts he has presided over. He has found good value on the undrafted free agent market, S Ronnie Hickman and LB Mohamoud Diabate stand out, but that doesn’t outweigh not getting impact players in the draft.

In short, what can Berry hang his hat on? He has strengthened the defense for sure, it’s one of the league’s best, but you can’t just have one strong unit in the NFL and win. Not to mention the team’s best player, Myles Garrett, was not selected by the current GM.

Does one solid draft mean Andrew Berry’s done a solid job. We say no. He is equally responsible for the failure of the Cleveland Browns.