Seeing Good Things In A Browns Victory

Last week, we said this would be a big week for Browns’ defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg because of the way his unit was gashed in the opening week loss to Jacksonville. We thought it was a test of a coaches’ ego, he wanted to play a certain way and would he adapt after the poor performance.

Good for the coach and head coach Todd Monken that they made adjustments, and the result was a 23-19 victory over Tampa Bay and raised their record to 1-1 on the young season. The Browns’ defense was better, causing the game’s only turnover, an interception by Myles Harden, and allowed the Buccaneers to cross the goal line just once.

As for the offense, Monken said he simplified things on that side of the ball, which is great coaching. After getting blown out in game one, there was a lot of improvement and that’s a good thing to see if you are a fan.

For all of the quarterback talk during the week and even prior to kickoff, Deshaun Watson played well, not tremendously, but well, and that’s not a criticism. He didn’t turn the ball over, was sacked just twice, keeping the negative plays to a minimum.

He mostly dinked and dunked, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, completing 24 of 30 throws for 238 yards, and two TDs. He completed only three passes for over 15 yards, and two of them were the scoring throws. He also led the team in rushing for the second straight week, which is not a good thing, but more on that later.

The running game was nonexistent, getting just 44 yards on 23 rushing attempts with Quinshon Judkins getting only 21 yards on 12 carries, with an early carry being his longest, that of nine yards.

We have our doubts on how long the offense can be effective with no running game to speak of and a QB who doesn’t seem to want to push the ball down the field. But it worked against Tampa and a win is most definitely a win.

One player who has caught our eye on offense is rookie WR Denzel Boston. We were disappointed when the Browns chose KC Concepcion in the first round because we thought the team needed a big wideout but were thrilled getting him in the second round. He’s caught 7 passes in the first two games for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

In the second half, Cleveland was faced with a third and seven (or so) situation and our thought was find Boston. Watson did for a key first down. Monken and offensive coordinator Travis Switzer should be trying to get the ball in his hands more often.

On the defensive side, last year’s first round pick, Mason Graham looks like a standout. He had a sack for the second week in a row, and the reigning defensive rookie of the year, Carson Schwesinger, had ten tackles and a big play on the final drive when he corralled Baker Mayfield on a key third down.

The best thing about the win is a week off from talking about tanking and replacing the QB. Watson needs to continue to play well, avoiding turnovers and not sacking himself. Can he do that? We will see.

Besides, tanking is stupid and doesn’t work.

Monken’s crew finally comes home to take on Carolina next Sunday. Hopefully, this game is something to build on.

Didn’t Have High Expectations, But Browns Looked Worse

We weren’t very optimistic about the Cleveland Browns’ chance last Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but quite frankly the game was worse than we thought.

This one was over at halftime with the Jaguars holding a 24-0 advantage in route to cruising to a 34-10 beatdown in Todd Monken’s head coaching debut. It was everything the biggest Browns’ pessimist could have feared.

The second half was a bunch of garbage time so the end of game stats don’t look as bad as it was. Deshaun Watson wound up completing 16 of 22 throws for 205 yards and a 46 yard touchdown pass to rookie Denzel Boston, who wasn’t a factor in the first half for some unknown reason.

The game started okay with a good kickoff return by Dylan Sampson and Watson clicking on some short throws and moving the Browns for a couple of first downs. Then came the big mistake, an interception by Foyesade Oluokun on a pass over the middle where it seemed like Watson never saw him. There have been reports of similar plays throughout training camp by the folks who cover the team on a daily basis.

We were concerned about the defense with the loss of veteran coordinator Jim Schwartz and the best defensive player in the league (and franchise history) Myles Garrett, and those fears were warranted. The new guy in charge, Mike Rutenberg, said he was going to play more zone, and Jags’ QB Trevor Lawrence chewed up that coverage, targeting the weaker links in the secondary, outside of one play where Tyson Campbell had good coverage.

It will be interesting to see what Rutenberg learns from the defeat and goes back to more man coverage. Because it seems the personnel is more suited to that style. By the way, the Browns had only one sack, by Mason Graham and didn’t put much pressure on Lawrence, so maybe Garrett was missed even though he didn’t show leadership.

Offensively, beside Watson’s issues, we believe Monken wants to run the ball, but when you fall behind by 17 points midway through the second quarter, that plan goes out the window. Quinshon Judkins had just 33 yards on 12 carries, as Watson led Cleveland in rushing with 38 yards.

It does seem crazy to have a QB who had three serious injuries over the past four years running read option plays, but that’s a question for the coaching staff.

Watson was sacked five times, but we didn’t think the rebuilt offensive line was visibly bad. As usual, the QB sacked himself a few times, and former NFL offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley (Iggy grad) pointed out he retreated after taking the snap in the shotgun. That doesn’t help the linemen.

As we said before, Boston seemed an afterthought in the first half, perhaps because the quarterback can’t make the sideline throw from the pocket and he was lined up outside. The other rookie receiver, KC Concepcion caught four passes for 43 yards and ran three times for 15 more.

Last year’s leading receiver, Harold Fannin, also was missing in the first half, and caught two balls after halftime when again the Jaguars’ defense was playing very loose.

It couldn’t have gone worse for the new coaching staff in their debut, and the first test comes next week against Tampa Bay with an angry QB in Baker Mayfield and coming off a loss in their opener. Will Monken and Rutenberg stubbornly stay with what didn’t work or will they start taking advantage of what talent they have?

Looking At Browns. Don’t See A Lot Of Wins

The joke around northeast Ohio is that the day before Labor Day would be the last Sunday the Cleveland Browns would not ruin for sports fans for almost five months. Yes, it’s a joke but you know the old saying about there is a bit of truth in every one liner.

The Browns open their 2026 season this Sunday with the first of two games in Florida, the first against the Jacksonville Jaguars. They have a new coach in Todd Monken, who is guiding his own professional team for the first time at age 60. But they also have the same problem they have had for pretty much every year since 1999.

They have an issue at quarterback.

We all know the Browns have cast their lot with the player they traded three first round picks for in 2022, and then gave a huge, guaranteed contract in Deshaun Watson. Sunday will mark Watson’s 20th start with Cleveland and perhaps he will throw for 300 yards or more, which would mark the first time he has done so in the orange and brown.

GM Andrew Berry used high draft capital to bring in two wide receivers, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, and both look very promising, but with a word of caution. Both will be playing in games that count for real this week.

We liked Boston because the Browns have needed a big wide receiver for years, after choosing a bunch of guys who are small but fast and hoping they could make big plays. The rookie from the University of Washington provides someone who can shield off opposing defensive backs to make plays.

Cleveland has some weapons in the two wideouts, and second year players TE Harold Fannin and RB Quinshon Judkins, but they are also starting a brand-new offensive line and there isn’t a lot of depth on the roster.

So, the keys will be how quickly the line gels and what kind of production they get out of the quarterback position, be it Watson, Shedeur Sanders, or even Dillon Gabriel (when he is back) or rookie Taylen Green. They need someone to provide solid play if they want to be competitive.

The defense is another question, again due to the seeming lack of depth, and of course, because they traded the best defensive player in the history of the franchise, and according to NFL Network, the best player in the entire league in Myles Garrett.

We believe the front office treats this as a rebuilding year, part of their “Free Beer Tomorrow” plan the sell their fans on every year. Unfortunately, hiring a guy like Monken, who no doubt wants to win in his first opportunity, flies in the face of that.

Can Monken run an offense that puts points on the board? We used to joke that the reason Cleveland scored 17 points per game the last couple of years under Kevin Stefanski, was that was it was designed to do.

With the defense probably not being the dominant unit it was the past few years, if more points can’t be generated, it could get ugly quick. The other question will be if Watson does not return to being the player he was in Houston, when will Monken pull the trigger?

Remember, what other QB in the history of the NFL come back from a long period of inactivity and returned to form after six years? We guess you can make a case for Jim Plunkett (look him up), but we can’t think of anyone else.

So, even with an easier schedule, playing the NFC South makes it easier, it is difficult to see more than five wins there for this year’s Cleveland Browns.

Get ready for quarterback draft talk by the end of September?

Monken Puts Himself In The Glare With His Decision

Coaches have egos too. A lot of them get into the profession to teach younger guys how to play the particular sport they are involved in the right way. The start is usually to teach the fundamentals and go from there.

But they also like to win, and they also like to look like they are smart. And if they can do that, it’s icing on the cake. They like to be innovators. Think of Bill Walsh, who developed the “west coast offense”, and used it to transform the San Francisco 49ers from also rans to three Super Bowl titles and is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Earl Weaver was among the first, if not the first to use statistics to make out his lineup card, charting what hitters did against certain pitchers, and has a long run of success as the manager of the Baltimore Orioles.

As we said, coaches like winning and they don’t mind getting credit for it. It’s a great thing to have people recognize you are good at your job and that you impacted the success of the place you work.

Now consider Todd Monken, a 60-year-old coaching lifer getting his first shot a being a head coach in the NFL. He wants to win, but he also wants to show he can do something no one thinks is possible, fixing Deshaun Watson, a player who hasn’t been an effective NFL quarterback since 2020.

Maybe that’s the reason for the decision to go with a guy who has made just 19 starts since 2021 and hasn’t thrown for over 300 yards in any of them.

Instead, the coach has told everyone that the reason for naming Watson as the starter is because the rest of us don’t see the tape, which is a comment with the corollary “you never played the game”. Monken is correct, the media and fans don’t see the coaching film and we freely admit, a lot of what we think we see on a football field isn’t true.

For example, a wide receiver is open, and they see a defensive back desperately trying to get there, but many times, he’s not the player who was beaten, he’s merely trying to cover for a teammate who was outmatched or blew a coverage.

However, our eyes show us a quarterback that is throwing the ball into the ground often, one that has “happy feet” in the pocket, and one that takes an exceedingly high number of sacks since he’s been a Brown.

In Watson’s first year with the Browns, he took 20 sacks in his six starts. Jacoby Brissett, who started the first 11 games that year, was sacked 24 times. The following year, in which Cleveland made the playoffs, Watson was sacked 17 times in his six starts, one of which he barely played. The other four QBs who played in 2023, Joe Flacco, P.J. Walker, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Jeff Driskel, were sacked 28 times in the other 11 games.

And the last year Watson played, 2024, Browns’ QBs were sacked a whopping 66 times, 33 of them being in Watson’s seven starts. Jameis Winston made the same number of starts and was tackled behind the line of scrimmage nine less times.

While fans don’t see “the inside game”, many longtime fans know what good quarterback play looks like, and that isn’t showing up with Deshaun Watson.

Former coach Jerry Glanville’s comment about if a coach is trying to please the fans, he will soon be sitting with them is true, but thinking they are all stupid is also a flaw. Monken made his decision, but if Watson doesn’t play better, he’s setting himself up for a rough time from the people who buy tickets.

Unless, like his employers, he doesn’t care about them.

Browns Created The Mess. Now, They Lean Into It.

Make no mistake, the Cleveland Browns did it to themselves. It’s not the fans’ fault. It’s not the media’s fault. And really, it says a lot about the current organization that they couldn’t see the whole situation coming.

All summer long and into training camp, people wondered. It was the national media, the local media, fans (including us) asking what the upside is of playing Deshaun Watson. Yes, we know the Browns paid him a lot of money for little production. But this is the last year on the horrific deal and there was no way the Browns were going to reup with him.

The only possible good scenario would be for Watson to be spectacular, something that hasn’t happened in six seasons and lead Todd Monken’s squad to a division title and playoff berth with 10+ wins. And in that situation, you don’t find out whether or not Shedeur Sanders is an NFL quarterback.

Watson has never embraced being here, and if you remember, he took Cleveland out of the equation when the Texans were trading him. It was only after the front office guaranteed the money did he agree to play for the Browns.

He’s made 19 starts for the franchise with a record of 9-10 in those starts. Amazingly, he’s never thrown for 300 yards in any of them, his high being 289 in a 27-3 win over Tennessee. He’s thrown three touchdown passes exactly one, in his first year after serving an 11-game suspension.

So, despite this lack of production, the new coach has decided Watson will be under center for the team’s opener against Jacksonville. Playing against what was basically Buffalo’s third unit, Watson completed five of 12 throws for 36 yards and an interception.

In the two exhibition games to date, the former first round pick has hit on 16 of 27 passes (59.2%) for 162 yards. His supposed competition for the job, completed 15 of 22 throws (68.1%) for 163 yards. So, Sanders has a better completion percentage and a better average yards per attempt.

Monken has talked about the “operation” a lot. And that means getting the play call in and the players to the line of scrimmage. He also talks about using cadence to draw teams offside.

We know coaches can be strange about stuff like this (we used to coach) but should stuff like that matter more than moving the football and completing passes? Part of us thinks the coach has convinced himself that he can get something out of Watson and is hell bent on proving it.

Meanwhile, the people who suffer most are Browns’ fans. This front office is consistently tripping over themselves to make bad decisions. Just since the beginning of 2025, the Browns have drafted two QBs in the same draft, traded the best defensive player in the history of the franchise, and named a starting QB who doesn’t want to be here and frankly offers little hope of competent play.

Yet, they are still the most popular team in town by far. It’s either amazing or sick, depending on how you look at things.

We criticize the Dolan family for not doing much for their fan base, but we guess doing nothing is better than taking a huge crap on the people who buy tickets.

And they are getting their palace in Brookpark anyway, which to them is probably the most important thing. You wonder why they think they are smarter than everyone else?

Thoughts About A Meaningless Browns’ Loss

We are sure many fans are saying “same ol’ Browns” after Saturday’s 34-10 beating at the hands of the Chicago Bears. But you know what? It doesn’t count. One thing we don’t know about these games is who is trying to win and who isn’t.

We would assume Todd Monken wants to win because it is his first year as a head coach, but it may not matter to him. And as we say every year, in the second half, which Chicago outscored Cleveland 24-0, featured a bunch of players, a majority probably, who will never play a minute in an NFL regular season game.

Everyone focuses on the starting QB battle, and of course, we will start by saying we don’t understand why there is a competition because it makes no sense to start Deshaun Watson. But Watson did go 11 of 15 for 126 yards, 43 of those on a short pass to RB Dylan Sampson who took it for 43 yards. Without that play, Watson was a pedestrian 10 of 14 for 83 yards.

He also lost a fumble. Look, he did okay. We aren’t ready to say he’s back to his 2020 form with Houston.

Shedeur Sanders did throw an interception, but the six passes he completed went for 79 yards, completing one for 35 yards and another for 24 yards. He also had two throws knocked down at the line of scrimmage.

We should also inform everyone we are not some sort of crazed Shedeur fan. We simply don’t see the upside in playing a QB who hasn’t played well in six years and whose contract ends after this season.

To argue about it now seems like a moot point because from his comments after the game, the coach seems ready to name Watson the starter, probably with a push from the front office, because, you know, the Browns have a dysfunctional organization.

As for the other individual performances, it looks like the Browns might have some talent at wide receiver. Rookies KC Concepcion returned a kickoff 31 yards and scored the only touchdown on a jet sweep. And Denzel Boston is simply a big target, something this franchise has needed for a long time.

Monken has already named the second-round pick as a starter.

First round pick Spencer Fano also played well, but we don’t know how many snaps the Bears’ starters played and we would also guess the defensive scheme they played was very vanilla.

Let us reiterate again, the game doesn’t count. It wasn’t too long ago that the Browns went 4-0 in exhibition play and then went 1-15 in the regular season.

Probably the best indication of anything prior to the opening of the regular season will be the joint practice with the Buffalo Bills this week. That will likely show more than any of the preseason contests.

A poll was put out before the game asking what people were thinking about Monken’s first game as head coach of the Browns. We will let you know just prior to September 13th, because that’s his first game. These games are glorified scrimmages that the NFL owners make fans pay to see.

Hopefully, Sanders plays well in his opportunity to get this ridiculous notion about starting Watson reconsidered.

QB Decision For Browns Shows A Clear Lack Of Direction

The Cleveland Browns continue to be a weird organization. It seems they are set up with a bunch of department heads all trying to show the boss who is the best and worthy of promotion, but in reality, they have no true leader, not true direction.

They have a new head coach in Todd Monken, who is 60 years old and getting his first chance to be the top guy of an NFL team. He, of course, wants to win now and show he deserved to have this job sooner in his career.

That means he is going to start the best players at each position, which is the way it should be, but the question is, what does the front office think about certain players?

We are of course talking about the starting quarterback spot where the Browns are leaking through the media that Deshaun Watson has a leg up on Shedeur Sanders for the job.

This is something we just don’t understand.

The entire organization should be saying this is Sanders’ opportunity to see if he can claim the job. If he shows he can be an above average NFL QB, then the Browns are in a good spot with two first round picks in next year’s draft.

As for Watson, we keep hearing from certain members of the media about his “body of work”. We will simply say the last time he was an effective NFL quarterback was six years ago. We can’t think of anyone in league history who played at a high level, was largely ineffective or not available for that long of a time period and then returned to play at that same tier of performance.

Basically, the Browns are asking Watson to do something that has never been done before. Seems plausible.

How should the Browns be handling this? A few different scenarios come to mind.

First, don’t hire a 60-year-old first time head coach who wants to win immediately. If you hire a younger guy than you can tell him the plan is to not have Watson play again and let him leave the team at the end of the season quietly.

Or you could have told Monken that was the plan all along and he should devote all of his time getting the best of Sanders, and if it doesn’t work, he will be part of the development on whoever the Browns draft in the first round in 2027.

Many national pundits can’t believe Cleveland is even considering starting Watson. After all, his contract ends after this season, and as we have pointed out before, if you are going with him, you have to make the playoffs, correct? Going 7-10 or 8-9 with him aces the team out of a high draft pick and also, they didn’t find out if Sanders can play.

Note we’ve only mentioned Sanders, but remember the Browns used a top 100 pick a year ago on another quarterback in Dillon Gabriel who is barely talked about and probably is a longshot to make the roster.

That pick was another example of not having a singular direction, a lone voice, making decisions.

We fear until that is fixed, the Browns will continue to run around in circles, never making progress.

It’s Draft Day. Here Are Our Hopes (And Fears?)

Tonight’s the night for all of the draftniks out there, the people who worship the draft above anything else. And the Cleveland Browns currently have two selections in the first round.

There are those upset by that because it is not two selections in the 2027 Draft, where supposedly the next round of great quarterbacks will be available. That’s because the Browns have convinced their fan base that the only way to be a perennial playoff team is to get a top five pick in a QB rich year and get their man.

We just want to remind you of one thing. They did that in the last 10 years when they took Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in 2018. They were victorious just once in the playoffs with Mayfield.

We know what the Browns’ needs are. They need a left tackle for sure, and they need a wide receiver, a go to guy who can get open and catch the football. The latter tool seems like a no brainer, but have you seen the players at that position for Cleveland recently?

However, what they really need is an offensive dynamo, someone who puts fear into defenses. Think about it, who is currently the biggest weapon at new coach Todd Monken’s disposal?

Harold Fannin? He’s a good player, but he’s a tight end. Quinshon Judkins? He looks like a solid running back, but he’s coming off a dislocated ankle and he’s a reliable back, but is he a threat to go all the way on any carry?

That’s the argument for taking Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame. The analytics crowd will tell you #6 is too high to pick a runner, but what if Love turns out to be Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, or Emmitt Smith? We aren’t suggesting he is, but having a great runner is a big offensive weapon.

On the other hand, taking Carnell Tate from Ohio State would seem to give the Browns the #1 wide out they’ve coveted since Josh Gordon. Tate has good hands, speed, and ability to get open. Again, something the team sorely needs.

And wouldn’t getting some weapons around him make it easier to evaluate Shedeur Sanders as a quarterback?

We also wouldn’t have a huge problem drafting another edge rusher or a impact defender like Caleb Downs or Sonny Styles. Playmakers don’t have to be only on the offensive side of the ball.

Being we are talking about the Browns, one thing we hope they resist doing is drafting another quarterback, albeit with a caveat. We do not want another four-passer competition, particularly if three of the quartet are first- and second-year players.

If they make a deal involving one of the current QBs, mostly likely Dillon Gabriel, then draft another rookie, but we are sure that Monken will quickly identify who he wants to play (please, not Deshaun Watson) and then go about the job of getting that choice ready for the season.

We also hope there is synergy between GM Andrew Berry and Monken, because the coach and general manager should have a shared vision on what kind of football team the Cleveland Browns should be. That’s how good organizations do it.

We just aren’t sure that’s how it works in Berea.

Browns’ Offense Needs A Total Overhaul

We think everyone would agree the Cleveland Browns have a terrible offense, and the statistics back that up. They were third from the bottom in total yards, ahead of only Tennessee and Las Vegas, 27th in rushing offense, and ahead of only the Jets in terms of passing yards.

How a team builds a great defense but has really, a pathetic offense is a question that should be directed at the front office, but of course in the times we live, they will not give you a straight answer.

Looking at the offensive side of the football, the only player who really should have a starting position locked up is TE Harold Fannin, who caught 72 passes a year ago for 731 yards and six touchdowns. If Joel Bitonio decides to come back for one more season, he can be locked in at left guard too.

That would still leave nine spots up for grabs, including quarterback. It appears GM Andrew Berry has his work cut out for him this off season.

The good news is the free agency period in the NFL starts this week and the Browns have nine picks in this year’s draft to fill all of the holes. Signing free agents is important because obviously you can’t start all rookies.

And yes, there are players who should have a leg on on starting positions. RB Quinshon Judkins was solid running behind perhaps the worst pair of tackles in the NFL. He gained 827 yards. but averaged only 3.6 yards per carry. Cleveland could use another runner to pair with Judkins, and we liked what we saw out of Raheim Sanders, a 230-pound back who was inactive (for some reason) for much of the 2025 season.

Berry did swing a trade last week, bringing in offensive lineman Tytus Howard from Houston. Howard is regarded as a very good pass blocker, but not as good in the running game playing right tackle for the Texans. Browns’ QBs were sacked the 7th most times in the league last year, so keeping the passer upright was definitely a priority.

So, if Bitonio comes back and Luke Wypler can hold down the center position, that’s three starting offensive linemen, and we would guess high picks will be used to fill the other two spots. Plus, you need depth, if there is anything we have learned from the Browns, it’s that injuries will happen.

We hear many people talk about Dawand Jones, and we think the tackle out of Ohio State has ability, but in three years, he can’t stay on the field. Todd Monken and the brass simply cannot rely on him. They have to plan that he will miss time, so perhaps being the sixth lineman would be a good spot.

So, the offensive line needs to be rebuilt, but don’t distract you from realizing the wide receiver position is also terrible. Don’t know the salary cap ramifications, but we’d move on from Jerry Jeudy. Isaiah Bond has big play potential. Cedric Tillman seems injury prone.

We’d like to see what Malachi Corley can do in the passing game, but that’s another spot to be addressed in both the draft and free agency, and maybe the trade market. There should be a lot of openings there.

Note, we haven’t even mentioned quarterback, but we’ve touched on that spot before. We’d get a veteran, like maybe Geno Smith and have him and Shedeur Sanders compete for the job. Maybe draft another QB on day three.

And we are intentional about not talking about anyone else.

It is doubtful a juggernaut can be built this spring, but the AFC North is in flux and as former Steelers’ coach Mike Tomlin said last year, the Browns’ defense is probably the best unit in the division.

With the right moves, they can compete. Don’t let them tell you about kicking the can down the road again. It’s a loser’s lament.

Browns Are Just Tough…To Follow As A Fan

Although we remain a fan of the Cleveland Browns, we have to admit it is tough to keep following them even though we are a lifelong resident of northeast Ohio. Every time someone from their front office speaks publicly, our BS meter soars.

And we absolve new coach Todd Monken from this. He just got here.

We have said many times over the past few years the Browns are like the sign in the bar “free beer tomorrow”, meaning we’ll be good next season. They seem to always be telling their fan base they have a plan to get good, and we will see that plan in a year. If we hear one more fan or media person talking about “kicking the can down the road” one more time, we will scream.

We understand an NFL team is not likely to win a Super Bowl unless they have great quarterback play, but this is also true: Just because you have a great QB doesn’t mean you are going to win the championship.

Here is a list of current quarterbacks who haven’t won the Super Bowl: Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff. And of that group, Jackson, Allen, Herbert, and Prescott have never played in the title game. Now, we agree the teams they play on have a better shot of getting to the big game because they are the starting QBs.

But it seems the Browns’ plan to win is get a draft pick in the top three selections in the draft, take their guy and everything will fall into place.

Except they did that before and it didn’t work. Remember 1-31? We do, and the Browns got Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick.

How can we forget the parade in downtown Cleveland when they won their first Super Bowl? It’s easy. It never happened.

First, you don’t need a top three or even five pick to get a great quarterback. You need someone who can tell a great one when they see one, and to be fair, you do need a fairly high draft choice, although you don’t need to go 3-14 every year to get one.

Patrick Mahomes is the best QB in the NFL, right? He was the 10th overall pick and Kansas City did not have an extended span of losing when they took him.

Allen was the 7th overall pick in 2018. This after the Bills were stuck in mediocrity but weren’t terrible. They won six or more games in seven straight seasons before taking Allen.

The current champion Seattle Seahawks do have a top three pick at quarterback in Sam Darnold, but they didn’t draft him. And the last time the franchise won less than six games? Try 2009. And they won 10 or more games ten times in that span.

It can be done without putting your fan base through seasons where they don’t play competitive football. It starts with putting an emphasis on winning. It’s having a culture.

We will be interested in seeing how the Steelers and Ravens do in 2026 because they have a winning culture in their organization and now, they will both have new coaches.

As for the Browns, how about making winning a priority, now! Stop talking about new dome stadium, future draft capital, salary cap manipulations and justifying terrible trades and say we are going to compete for a playoff spot next season.

It’s starts there and it’s really simple. Winning football cures a franchise malaise.