Tracking The Browns Rebuild

Now that the Cleveland Browns have returned to being a good football team, the discussions about who should get the credit for the success rages on for some folks.

This rebuilding process started following the 2015 season when Mike Pettine and GM Ray Farmer were let go and replaced by Sashi Brown, a lawyer who came out of nowhere to be the de facto GM of the Browns.

Brown’s plan was essentially to stop putting bandages on the roster every season and to start from scratch. He traded or released just about every veteran, and armed the organization with a bunch of draft picks.

Hue Jackson was hired as the head coach, and we would think he was informed what was about to happen to the roster.

The plan was at the time unheard of, no team had done this in the NFL, although to Sashi’s credit, it seems like subsequently, the Dolphins, Jets, and now the Jaguars are doing the same thing.

Cleveland had the second overall pick in ’16, and Brown traded that pick to Philadelphia (which became Carson Wentz) and the Browns wound up with WR Corey Coleman. The team did draft Emmanuel Ogbah, Carl Nassib, Joe Schobert, and WR Rashard Higgins, who is still contributing.

The result of the total rebuild in the first year was a 1-15 record, which netted the organization the first overall pick in 2017, and they selected Myles Garrett. Critics will point out they passed on Patrick Mahomes (10th overall) and could have selected Deshaun Watson at #12, but they traded down to get more picks.

Cleveland also got Jabrill Peppers and David Njoku in the first round and DT Larry Ogunjobi in the third round.

The rebuild got sidetracked with Jackson, unhappy with the losing, although again, we have to assume he knew the plan, complained to owner Jimmy Haslam (probably a lot). Brown was fired and replaced with “football guy” John Dorsey, formerly a GM with Kansas City.

Dorsey brought a “win now” mentality with him and after an 0-16 season, selected QB Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in ’18, CB Denzel Ward with the 4th overall pick, and used a 2nd rounder to get Nick Chubb, three main cogs of the 2020 Browns.

Beyond that trio, the rest of the draft was a flop. No players remain on the roster. Still, the three who stayed are pretty good.

However, after a 7-8-1 season that featured wins in five of the last seven games, Dorsey got greedy (figuratively) and traded his first round pick, Peppers, and his starting right guard in Kevin Zeitler for WR Odell Beckham and DE Olivier Vernon.

However, his biggest mistake was thinking the chemistry of the offensive coordinator, who took over when Jackson and his OC, Todd Haley was fired mid-season, and Mayfield was enough to make Freddie Kitchens the head coach.

Meanwhile, chief strategy office Paul DePodesta, who came to the organization with Sashi Brown, wanted to hire Minnesota assistant Kevin Stefanski.

While bringing in Beckham, the rest of Dorsey’s draft that year hasn’t been impressive. Second rounder CB Greedy Williams, while showing promise, has been injured, and the next best player is LB Sione Takitaki, who is serviceable.

After Kitchens was given the gate following a 6-10 season, it seems like Dorsey left the organization because his voice wasn’t the most prominent during the coaching search, which wound up in the hands of Stefanski, DePodesta’s choice all along.

Andrew Berry, also part of the Sashi Brown front office was brought back, this time as GM.

His first draft appears to be a good one, with OT Jedrick Wills being a starter from day one, and several contributors with upside, notably LB Jacob Phillips, TE Harrison Bryant, and WR Donovan Peoples-Jones.

And don’t forget S Grant Delpit, who figured to start before his achilles injury in camp.

Sashi laid out the plan and he, DePodesta, and Berry started to lay it out before the ownership got impatient. Dorsey made the bad hire as head coach, but did bring in Mayfield, Ward, and Chubb, and the Browns aren’t 10-4 without them.

He didn’t fill out the roster though, but Berry came back to take care of that, adding solid free agents in T Jack Conklin and TE Austin Hooper.

The question is, could this success have arrived a year or so ago had DePodesta got his way and hired Stefanski after 2018? Thankfully, it was just a one year delay.

A Possibility Of 10 Wins For Browns Has Us Feeling Nostalgic

Tomorrow night, the Cleveland Browns have a chance to make a statement. Yes, they’ve made already made a few loud comments throughout the year, perhaps their best season since coming back as an expansion team in 1999.

Think about it. The Browns have had just two winning seasons since then.

In 2002, their fourth year back in the league, they hovered around the .500 mark all season long, the first time they climbed two games over break even was when they beat the Falcons the last game of the season, 24-16, in the famous “Run William Run” game, capped by the 64 yard run by William Green.

They actually trailed going into the 4th quarter of that contest.

However, the signature victory that season was the week prior, when Cleveland went in to Baltimore and knocked off the Ravens 14-13, scoring with 29 seconds left on a 1 yard pass from Tim Couch to Mark Campbell, capping off a 92 yard drive.

It was no doubt Couch’s most clutch moment of his career with the Browns.

The other winning season, 2007, started ignominiously with a 34-7 beatdown at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers. That contest was started by Charlie Frye who was benched at halftime in favor of Derek Anderson, and then traded a couple of days later.

The Browns won the following week in a shootout over the Bengals, 51-45. But they didn’t get two games over .500 until they won three in a row, beating Miami, St. Louis, and Seattle in overtime to raise their record to 5-3.

With a playoff appearance looking likely at 9-5 after shutting out Buffalo in a snowstorm in Cleveland, the Browns and Anderson laid an egg in Cincinnati, losing to the 5-9 Bengals with Anderson throwing four interceptions.

Needing an Indianapolis win over Tennessee to make the playoffs after beating San Francisco, the Colts made the correct decision to rest Peyton Manning, and the Titans won, knocking Romeo Crennel’s squad out of the playoffs.

Neither the 2002 nor 2007 teams ever got anywhere near 9-3 though. This is clearly the best position the Browns have been in to make the playoffs since the Bill Belichick coached 1994 squad, who were also 9-3 after the first 75% of the season, and finished 11-5.

That team lost to the Giants the following week, and the Marty Schottenheimer/Bud Carson teams that went to three AFC title games in a four year period, never got there either. The best of those groups, the 1986 Browns were 8-4 after the first dozen games in route to a 12-4 finish.

We may have forgotten, but the other two teams that played for the right to go to the Super Bowl finished 10-5 and 9-6-1.

A win over the Ravens Monday night would put the Browns at 10-3 for the first time since 1969!, when they were near the end of their halcyon days as a dominant NFL franchise.

That was Blanton Collier’s last great Cleveland team, and they were actually 10-2-1 after 13 games. The next season, the Browns went 7-7 and Collier retired.

That 1969 team also got to the precipice of the Super Bowl, routing Dallas in the divisional playoff only to lose to Minnesota in the then NFL Championship Game. The Vikings lost to Hank Stram’s Chiefs in Super Bowl IV.

So, avenging the opening game loss to the Ravens would put Kevin Stefanski’s team in rarified air, at least in terms of Browns’ history. It would also have two perhaps more important outcomes.

First, it would virtually clinch a playoff spot for the Browns. Yes, they would still have to win another game, but they would be up by three games in the division standings over Baltimore with three to play.

It would also seriously damage the Ravens’ playoff hopes.

That’s way we have no doubt John Harbaugh’s team will be more than ready to play. It’s another good test for this Browns’ roster.

One Statement Win, But More Are Needed For Browns

Without a doubt, the Cleveland Browns answered a lot of questions Sunday in their 41-35 win over the Tennessee Titans, but they haven’t passed the course just yet.

Most critics felt Kevin Stefanski’s squad had simply defeated a bunch of mediocre teams to have a winning record before Sunday (apparently the Colts don’t count even though they are 8-4), and many felt Cleveland would get their comeuppance against the Titans, who lost the AFC Championship Game a year ago and came into the contest at 8-3.

We guess their 8-3 was more legitimate than the Browns’.

Instead, the Browns put on a clinic in the first half, scoring on each possession and building a 38-7 halftime lead. It was the most points ever scored by the Browns in a half. Not just since 1999, but in the history of the franchise, and many younger fans don’t realize how good this team was from 1946-1971.

Cleveland put up 34 or more points for the fifth time this season. They can score points, and they did so early and often against Tennessee, enough that they made the Titans’ biggest offensive weapon, running back Derrick Henry, an afterthought after halftime.

It’s a winning season for the Browns, their first since 2007 when they went 10-6 and missed the playoffs, and it’s only their third winning season since they returned to the NFL in 1999 (2002, 2007).

And they still have four games to play, including one with the winless Jets in the penultimate regular season game in New Jersey.

On the other hand, although this was an impressive victory, the Browns play in the AFC North, and many national media types will still view the brown and orange with a jaundiced eye until they can beat the traditional division powers, the Steelers and Ravens.

It’s understandable since Cleveland lost the first matchups between each foe earlier this season by a combined score of 76-13. The Browns did beat the Ravens a year ago in Baltimore, their most impressive win of 2019 by far, but the win over the Steelers last year came with Ben Roethlisburger on the sidelines.

So, the Browns have another chance to send a message next Monday night at First Energy Stadium as the Ravens visit. Assuming Baltimore can win tonight against Dallas, they will be 7-5 coming into the contest and a Cleveland win would have the double positive effect of putting the Browns in great shape while crippling the Ravens’ chance at a playoff spot.

And with Pittsburgh’s loss to Washington last night, the last game of the season could have division title implications. Take a deep breath and think about that for a minute.

So, while the Browns passed a great test yesterday, and we didn’t mention no one is questioning the quarterback’s play this week, we understand that a victory against Baltimore and/or Pittsburgh will be the only things that eliminate questions for some fans and media alike.

However, the Browns are going to have a winning season, and more than likely are going to play a playoff game. The last time they won ten or more and went to the post-season? Try 1994 with Bill Belichick at the helm.

Why Is Daddy Still Sad, Even Though The Browns Won?

Several years ago, there was a coloring book made up to be funny (we think) called Why Is Daddy Sad On Sundays? It was meant to make light of the lack of success the Cleveland Browns have had since returning to the NFL in 1999.

For the first time since they came back, the Browns are sitting at 8-3 on the season and right now have the top wild card spot in the AFC. The eight victories clinch the first non-losing season since 2007, when Romeo Crennel’s squad went 10-6 and just missed a playoff spot.

However, despite this record, which was preceded by several years of not mediocre football, it was downright putrid. Since ’99, Cleveland has had 16 seasons of 10 losses or more.

Even worse, 10 of those years have resulted in 12 or more losses, including a three year span (2015-17) in which the Browns went 4-44. You would think everyone would be celebrating the success this team has had.

You’d be wrong. Most of the criticism each week is pointed at quarterback Baker Mayfield, who with Sunday’s win raised his record as a starter to 20-20. He’s at .500, and we just showed you how dismal the recent history of the franchise has been.

If the Browns were coming off a Super Bowl season or several consecutive playoff appearances then we could understand a concern about “style points”, which the team didn’t achieve against the 1-10 Jaguars, winning by just 27-25.

We subscribe to the Bill Parcells’ theory of “you are what your record says you are”. We understand that two of the Cleveland losses were blowouts against division rivals, and that apparently stirs up some dissatisfaction among some people, but both losses were on the road, and Kevin Stefanski’s group gets another shot against each at First Energy Stadium.

It is very rare that any good professional football team goes through a season without a close call. And despite the final margin against Jacksonville, didn’t it feel like the Browns were in control of the game all day?

The Steelers are currently sitting at 10-0, but defeated the Giants on opening day by just a 26-16 score and just recently beat Dallas on the road with former Brown Garrett Gilbert at QB, 24-19. Not exactly impressive wins, but the Pittsburgh players and coaches don’t care. It’s a win.

The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs won a week two match up against the Chargers in overtime, and just a few weeks ago beat another non-playoff team in Carolina by just two points, the same margin as the Browns win on Sunday.

We checked in on the 2007 New England Patriots, who finished 16-0 in the regular season and found a three point win over an 8-8 Eagles squad, and another three point win over the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens finished 5-11 that season.

The 1972 Dolphins, which finished without a loss and won the Super Bowl, had a two point win over a 7-7 Minnesota Vikings squad and a one point victory over a 4-9-1 Buffalo team.

We certainly aren’t comparing the Browns to any of those teams, Stefanski’s crew certainly has room to improve and hasn’t proven themselves yet in either the playoffs or a game against one of the league’s elite teams.

However, we are saying there are a lot of close games every year that don’t make sense considering the records of the teams in question. The NFL has used the “Any Given Sunday” slogan for years, signifying that any team in the league can beat anyone else.

In the meantime, be happy the Browns are 8-3. They have a chance to show they are good against the Tennessee Titans, who went to the AFC title game a year ago. And even if they lose, it’s not the end of the world.

This is a team that will likely be playing in January. It’s been a long time since a Browns fan could celebrate that.

Things With Baker Will Work Their Way Out.

We have written about this before but it bares repeating. The Cleveland Browns improved their record to 7-3 with a win over the Eagles on Sunday, but people want to keep talking about Baker Mayfield.

For the third consecutive week, Mayfield completed just 12 passes, which seems pedestrian in today’s pass happy NFL. In fact, the former Heisman Trophy winner ranks 26th in the league in passing attempts and completions.

Heck, he’s behind Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in both categories, and Jackson’s primary function in the Ravens offense is his running ability.

Yes, the weather has been a factor in the last three games. Severe winds caused both teams to avoid the pass in the contests versus Las Vegas and Houston, while Sunday’s game was played in a driving rain.

Kevin Stefanski understands what the strength of his football team is, and that is the running game, in particular, the running back position.

Cleveland ranks third in the NFL in running the ball, and first among teams without a quarterback who greatly adds to the running game (Baltimore with Jackson is first, Arizona with Kyler Murray is second). Why emphasize something that isn’t your strength?

The Baker-centric focus on this team is remarkable. The Browns have won seven games this season, tied for the most in any season since 2007 (2004 and 2018). Mayfield has been the starting QB in two of those seasons.

Is he a top ten signal caller in the NFL right now? No, but obviously he doesn’t have to be for the Browns to win football games.

Should the Browns pay Mayfield big money as the franchise quarterback? Right now, they don’t have to. Our guess is they will pick up the fifth year option on the former first overall pick, meaning they will have two full years with Mayfield in Stefanski’s offense before making that decision.

The more Mayfield plays, the more comfortable in the offense he should be. He hasn’t thrown an interception in the last three games, and since throwing two in back-to-back games against Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, he has thrown just one in the four games succeeding.

In Sunday’s game, he had his best non-Cincinnati game in terms of yards per attempt at 9.27, throwing for 204 yards in the wet conditions.

Is the weight of the offense entirely on his shoulders? No. But in Russell Wilson’s early career, he wasn’t the focus of the offense, LaGarrett Blount was. The same was true in Dallas, where Dak Prescott’s chief job was handing the ball to Zeke Elliott.

There is nothing wrong with that. You do what you have to do to win.

There should be no rush in determining Mayfield’s fate. Barring injury, Stefanski, GM Andrew Berry, and Paul DePodesta will have 22 games to do just that. Besides, it’s not as though that trio has much of a choice.

Is there a better option available to the Browns? With the help Cleveland needs on the defensive side of the ball, you would think early draft picks will be used on that side of the football. And to get one of the best QB prospects, you will have to use draft capital to move up.

There won’t be a top ten pick in the 2021 draft.

Browns fans, be happy with a 7-3 record. Only three teams in the NFL have a better mark at this point. As Stefanski said a couple of weeks ago, these things have a way of working themselves out.

And stop looking for Baker Mayfield to throw for 350 yards on a weekly basis. That’s not who the Browns are right now.

Focus On Mayfield? He’s Not The Most Important Offensive Player

Whatever the Cleveland Browns do, the talk seems to come back to the quarterback. In the past two weeks, the Browns have played in brutal field possessions, and split the two games at First Energy Stadium, yet people just want to talk about Baker Mayfield.

Right now, Mayfield is doing what the coaching staff is asking him to do, which is take care of the football, and complete some passes here and there. We understand that the sexy thing is having the QB throw for 350 yards and four touchdowns every week, but that’s not the formula for winning in Cleveland.

At least, right now.

In the last two games, Mayfield has completed 24 of 45 passes for 254 yards, statistics that are for one game for most NFL quarterbacks. However, since the Pittsburgh game where the Browns were dominated, the former Heisman Trophy winner has thrown just one interception.

While fans are focused on the play of Mayfield, we believe there is a notable person who is not. And that is Kevin Stefanski.

It’s because as they stand right now, Mayfield may rank third, fourth or even lower in terms of most important offensive players on this Browns’ team.

Stefanski has the Browns being first and foremost a running football team. They rank 4th in the league in rushing yards, behind three teams that all have dual threat quarterbacks (Arizona, Baltimore, and New England).

Thus, you can make the argument that no team relies more on their running backs than the Browns, and with good reason.

Kareem Hunt is 6th in the NFL in rushing yards (633) and his teammate, Nick Chubb is 20th at 461. Chubb is third in rushing yards per game, while Hunt is 12th.

They are the only pair of running backs from the same team to rank in the top 20 in rushing yards.

The offensive line appeared to be strengthened with the drafting of Jedrick Wills and the signing of Jack Conklin at the tackles, but the guy who has emerged as the most important member of the group is Wyatt Teller, who right now may be the best lineman in the league.

When Teller plays, the Browns have run for almost 200 yards per contest (195.5). In the three games he missed? Try 86 yards on the ground.

To be fair, Chubb missed all three games that Teller didn’t play, but it was no coincidence that when both returned last Sunday, Cleveland ran for 231 yards.

We are sure there will be another game on the schedule this season where the Browns will need Mayfield to play at a very high level, much like he did in the Cincinnati game in week seven. But we are also sure, that won’t be the design of the game plan going in.

For right now, this season, the Browns are a ground and pound team. Eventually, the coaching staff should and we believe, will put more on the quarterback’s shoulders.

Even in last Sunday’s game, when Mayfield needed a big throw on a 3rd and 18 situation in the second half, he delivered a 22 yard pass to Rashard Higgins for a drive continuing first down. Cleveland scored its only touchdown on that drive.

Stefanski’s team sits at 6-3, and it’s not because of or in spite of their quarterback. Right now, Baker Mayfield is just one cog in the machine.

And that’s alright.

Browns Defense Puts A Lot Pressure On Baker

It feels like when people talk about the Cleveland Browns, both locally and nationally, the discussion seems to be about Baker Mayfield.

Either his performance each week is heavily scrutinized, and we get that, he is the starting quarterback of an NFL team, or his long term future is analyzed. Is he or is he not a “franchise quarterback”?

We thought Kevin Stefanski said it best last week on a radio show, saying these things have a way of working themselves out. For example, if the Browns wind up at 10-6 this year and Mayfield plays well in a playoff game, he will be deemed the future signal caller for the Cleveland Browns.

If the team falters in the second half, the questions will remain and will continue throughout the 2021 schedule.

However, the front office hasn’t given the QB much margin for error. We arrived at this notion with discussions of the next two opponents coming up for Cleveland, being Houston and Philadelphia, and the idea both of these games could be shootouts.

Currently, the Browns are 5-0 when they score 30 or more points in a game. What is troubling is that if they scored exactly 30 in every game, their record would be 2-5-1. And you couldn’t blame the offense, but there would be people blaming the losing record on the quarterback.

So the pressure is very much on the offense and Mayfield in particular to keep the production that high if Cleveland is to finish with a winning record and a possible post-season appearance.

First up is Houston, a team with a very good QB in Deshaun Watson, and averaging 24 points per game. A closer look shows over the past four weeks, the Texans have put 113 points on the scoreboard (28.25/game) and scored 30 or more twice in that span.

So, what happens if Mayfield and the offense isn’t electric and only puts say, 27 points on the board and Cleveland loses 30-27? Yes, the defense will get a share of the blame, and rightly so, but the loss goes on Mayfield’s ledger.

This isn’t to excuse the former Heisman Trophy winner’s performance in the two lopsided losses to Baltimore and Pittsburgh. In those losses, he completed 31 of 57 passes (just 54.3%) with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He needs to be better in games against the best teams in the division and conference.

But with the defense being what it is for the Browns, the pressure is clearly on the offensive coaching staff and the QB to continue to be prolific if the brown and orange want to keep playing once the 16 game schedule has been completed.

We know the Jaguars, Jets, and Giants are remaining, and Cleveland should be over a touchdown favorites in those contests, but the Texans and Eagles are a different matter. Both those teams are capable of putting up points.

And, of course, there are games vs. Tennessee (imagine Derrick Henry salivating at running the ball vs. Cleveland) and the rematches against the Ravens and Steelers. Right now, we would say if the Browns can’t put up at least 28 points in those games, they won’t be competitive.

Based on this, we would say if Mayfield can get the Browns to the playoffs, he should be considered a franchise quarterback. With the defense being what it is, he’s going to have to be very good game in and game out to get them to 9 or 10 wins.

As Stefanski said, that’s how it will work itself out.

What Has Gone Right And Wrong For Browns To Date

The Cleveland Browns enter the bye week and the halfway point of the season simultaneously this season at 5-3, better that almost anyone could have hoped for going into the year.

Coming into this COVID-19 affected season, with a shortened training camp and no pre-season games, you have to give GM Andrew Berry and new head coach Kevin Stefanski great marks in putting together a plan that has resulted in winning football, something that hasn’t been seen in this town for a long, long time.

So, since we are at the halfway point, let’s examine what went right or wrong for the brown and orange in an overall surprising first half of the 2020 season.

What went right? First, the Browns haven’t had any issues with the coronavirus to date. They had a scare with some false positives right before the regular season started, but to this point, the Browns have been safe and healthy.

The Browns have been one of the highest scoring offenses in the NFL to date, ranking 9th in points scored, despite being held to single digits in three of their eight contests (the three they lost).

There were questions about the offensive line going into camp because 3/5th of the unit had changed, but it has emerged as a strength. Jedrick Wills has been solid as a rookie, although he’s had some first year moments, and we knew Jack Conklin would be solid at RT, but the huge bonus was RG Wyatt Teller.

Teller, who came from Buffalo with a 7th round pick for a 5th and 6th round pick last year, has become one of the league’s best offensive linemen. With Teller starting, Cleveland ran for at least 124 yards in each game.

They haven’t reached that figure since he’s been shelved with a calf injury. The hope is he’ll be back for the game against Houston on November 15th.

We understand the greatness of Nick Chubb, but thank goodness then GM John Dorsey took a chance on Kareem Hunt last season. Hunt was battled through injuries to rank 5th in the league in rushing and touchdowns.

Hunt has been criticized by some because he’s not Chubb, but he’s still a top flight back in the NFL, and the offense is better with both weapons available.

What went wrong? No one was counting on the Browns’ defensive to be a dominating unit, but injuries have really crippled (no pun intended) them.

The team had big expectations for rookie S Grant Delpit and starting CB Greedy Williams, but both have been out all season, forcing the defensive coordinator Joe Woods to go to his depth.

The best linebacker play has come from Malcolm Smith, picked up as a free agent during camp, and free agent signee B.J. Goodson.

Outside of the tremendous season Myles Garrett is putting together, the defensive line has been a huge disappointment. Really, no one outside of the former overall #1 pick has been able to generate any pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

As a result, only the Cowboys and the lowly New York Jets have allowed more points than the Browns this season.

What is expected? Looking at the remaining schedule, the Browns should remain in playoff contention unless there are injury issues. There are three games against what anyone would consider the bottom echelon of the league in Jacksonville, and both New York teams, as well as winnable contests vs. Houston and Philadelphia.

Of course, the Browns need to play well to win, but with the returns of Teller and Chubb coming soon, it should bolster the offense enough to get to at least 9-7 or 10-6.

Browns Can Make Playoffs, But A Defensive Trade Would Give Them A Push

There is no question that fans of the Cleveland Browns, and maybe all professional football teams, are a different lot. Every time they lose, someone must be held responsible.

According to many, the 16-6 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders was due to Kevin Stefanski being out-coached or it was because of a frequent scapegoat, QB Baker Mayfield.

In reality, the reason for the defeat was the 208 yards rushing by the Raiders. As Browns’ fans saw first hand in wins over Cincinnati in week two, and Dallas in week four, when you gain over 200 yards on the ground, you usually win.

The best defense for a good offense, and the Browns have scored over 30 points in all five of their victories this season, is to keep them off the field. The Raiders did that to Cleveland on Sunday, keeping the ball for 37 minutes, compared to 22 for the brown and orange.

Stefanski wasn’t out-coached by Jon Gruden, but the latter’s team out executed the Browns. Mayfield has just six drives for the game, and he had chances to score on three of them, and had the ball in Las Vegas territory when rookie TE Harrison Bryant fumbled in the first quarter.

The difference was Gruden’s defense was kept fresh and got a couple of stops, and in one case where Jamie Gillen was called upon to punt, it was after David Njoku dropped a pass for a first down and a drive could have continued.

As for Mayfield, he wasn’t spectacular like the prior week in Cincinnati, completing 12 of 25 passes for 122 yards in very tough conditions, and he added 29 yards on the ground. But again, he only had six opportunities.

No, the problem was the defense. Actually, they had been decent against the rush coming into the game, ranking in the top ten in the NFL, but you wonder if that had more to do with the fact it is so easy to pass on the unit, that opponents don’t attempt to run.

Opposing teams are going to start considering not suiting up their punters, as the Browns’ defense has forced just one punt over the last two games.

We understand that there is no trade available which is going to make Cleveland a top 10 defense, but perhaps upgrading in a couple of spots will make that unit a little less sieve-like.

This team isn’t a Super Bowl contender, because they aren’t on par with the Chiefs, Steelers, or Ravens, but after 18 seasons of pretty miserable football, a playoff appearance should be the goal. And being able to get off the field defensively now and again, would make that achievement more attainable.

The bigger goal should be a Super Bowl berth, so we wouldn’t make any move involving high draft picks. We’ve seen serviceable players going for 6th and 7th round picks in the past couple of weeks, and certainly that is a reasonable price to pay to get an upgrade right now.

Someone not named Myles Garrett who can put pressure on a quarterback would be nice, as well as some help in the secondary. We understand the defense has had some devastating injuries, particularly to rookie S Grant Delpit and starting CB Greedy Williams.

And DT Andrew Billings opting out of the 2020 season didn’t help the depth of the unit.

The bye week is a perfect time to add some talent and get the players up to speed for the second half of the season, and presumably a playoff push. So, while we wouldn’t say GM Andrew Berry should go all in, he should dip his toe in the trade waters.

Trade For Browns? Think Defense First.

The NFL trade deadline doesn’t usually have the juice that the same date has in baseball, basketball, or even hockey, but in recent years there has been more and more activity.

With the loss of Odell Beckham Jr. for the season due to a knee injury, there has been much speculation the Cleveland Browns could be in the market for a replacement for one of their offensive playmakers.

However, would that be the best move GM Andrew Berry could be making?

You see, the Browns are the second highest scoring team in the AFC, behind only the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Overall, they have scored the fifth most points in the NFL, topped only by the Buccaneers, Chiefs, Seahawks, and Cardinals.

Outside of the game in Dallas, Kevin Stefanski’s crew has done it without a huge contribution from Beckham, who scored three times that day.

The former Giant is second on the Browns in receptions, behind Jarvis Landry, and just one catch ahead of TE Austin Hooper. He’s also second in receiving yards.

We are not trying to insinuate the Browns won’t miss Beckham. None of the players Cleveland will use to replace him are close to him in terms of talent.

But the team is getting KhaDarel Hodge back from IR and we saw what Rashard Higgins and rookien Donovan Peoples-Jones did against Cincinnati. Higgins had over 100 receiving yards last Sunday, and we would remind you Beckham has just two in 22 games with Cleveland.

Our point is the Browns have plenty of weapons on offense, even without Beckham. Assuming Nick Chubb can return after the bye week (or shortly thereafter), Stefanski still has Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Landry, and Hooper. We would also envision a bigger role for David Njoku and rookie TE Harrison Bryant.

If Berry is going to make a deal, we would look at a defensive unit that has allowed the second highest point total in the NFL, ahead of only Dallas.

That puts a lot of pressure on the offensive to score 30 points virtually every week. In fact, the Browns are 5-0 when they score 30+, and 0-2 when they don’t.

Right now, the Browns have two very good players on that side of the ball. Let us correct that. They have one superstar on defense and a very good cornerback. We are obviously talking about Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward.

There shouldn’t be a debate that if Berry makes a deal, it should be with an eye on improving this area of the team.

Another pass rusher would be ideal, but right now, only Garrett is making his presence felt, and no doubt future opponents see the same thing. Being double teamed is one thing, but the former first overall pick might start seeing three men blocking him, because no one else is applying pressure.

Sheldon Richardson has 2.5 sacks, Adrian Clayborn has 2, and no other defensive lineman has one. In fact, the only linebacker on the board is B.J. Goodson, who has .5. The rest are from blitzing defensive backs.

We certainly aren’t saying to give up high draft picks, but in the past couple of days we’ve seen two pass rushers (Everson Griffen and Carlos Dunlap) go for lower round picks. So it can be done without a high cost.

Another receiver would be nice, sure. But the biggest area of need for the Browns is fixing the porous defense. It probably wouldn’t put Cleveland on par with the likes of the Chiefs, Steelers, or Ravens level, but it would take pressure off the offense to score every time they get the football.

And if you get to the playoffs? Why not win a game or two?