Since the Browns’ surge in the second half of the 2018 season, fans are chomping at the bit for training camp to start.

This feeling was intensified by the trade in which GM John Dorsey picked up All Pro wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr, and pass rusher Olivier Vernon from the Giants.

That move, along with the free agent signing of DT Sheldon Richardson, and of course, the drafting of Baker Mayfield, have the Browns going from the doormat of the league in 2016 and 2017 to media darlings.

However, it is time to maintain calmness.

Not in thinking the Browns should be a good football team in 2019, on paper, it says they should, but in wanting the roster to be complete…right now!

Dorsey traded starting safety Jabril Peppers in the Giants trade and last week cut the presumed starter, Derrick Kindred, who was picked up by Indianapolis.  He traded for Eric Murray from Kansas City, sending Emmanuel Ogbah to the Chiefs.

Then, on Friday, he signed former Steeler and Packer Morgan Burnett as a free agent.  Do we believe the front office is satisfied they replaced Peppers, who played very well in the second half of the season?  No, we are sure they aren’t.

Because the Browns have their quarterback, people seem to forget there is a little something at the end of this month called the NFL Draft.  It used to be the highlight of the spring for football fans here.

But since Cleveland dealt its first round pick to New York, it feels like we are forgetting about the selection process, and we have no doubt Dorsey will be looking to upgrade the safety position and probably the linebacking corps in the draft.

We would also expect another quarterback to be brought in via the draft or a trade.  Dorsey keeps telling everyone that Drew Stanton is the back up, but the former Michigan State QB hasn’t played since 2017, and hasn’t completed over 50% of his passes since 2014 when he went 5-3 as a starter with Arizona.

While the Browns don’t have a first round pick, they do have three fifth round picks, which Dorsey may use to move up in the second or third rounds to get a player he feels fits on the Cleveland roster, perhaps a safety or a linebacker.

As for the quarterback, that could come later, perhaps even as late as after teams cut down to 53 players before week one of the season.

Also, the Browns did ink the best QB in the newly defunct Alliance of American Football (AAF) in Garrett Gilbert, who had the most passing yards in the league and was with the Carolina Panthers last season.

The fans need to use patience.  The excitement is real and understandable, but the schedule hasn’t even been released as of yet, so the campaign isn’t starting next week.

There is plenty of time to fill out the Browns’ roster, and we doubt John Dorsey is satisfied with the personnel on his squad.  There will definitely be more to come.

We can all watch the draft differently this season, and the GM’s history shows he is not afraid to make moves.  So, the Browns may be very active that weekend.

Just don’t go crazy because safety hasn’t been addressed, or outside linebacker, or left tackle.  There is a lot of time between now and July when this edition of the Cleveland Browns takes the training field.

MW