Cleveland Browns fans know their team has written this book before. The Browns make a splash in the offseason only to serve their fan base an entrée of disappointment in December. Then comes the coaching and front office search, flashy free agent signings or trades, and excitement leading to April’s Draft.
2019 stung more than any of the previous years. Even outside of Cleveland, expectations were high. It was a year many predicted the Browns to at least win the AFC North. A few saw a deep playoff run. Everything fell back to Earth with a 43-13 thumping in Week One against the Tennessee Titans. It foreshadowed the rest of the season.
Fast forward to 2020. It’s the same script. Free-agent signings, trades, and excitement for the draft. Even the uniforms got an outstanding makeover. After years of disappointment, why should Browns fans expect 2020 to be different? Take these three reasons.
Cleveland Browns Fans Have a Right to Be Optimistic
Reason One: Baker Mayfield Beats Division Rivals
Baker Mayfield hasn’t played lights out against the division. But if anyone’s keeping track, Mayfield is 6-5 in the AFC North and did something in 2019 no other Browns quarterback accomplished: He beat Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cincinnati in the same season.
Sure, injuries marred the Bengals and Pittsburgh played 2019 with low-end backup quarterbacks, but he beat Lamar Jackson’s Ravens in Baltimore. And only the Football Gods know what Mayfield could’ve done with better play calling from former coach Freddie Kitchens. Does Cleveland beat Pittsburgh at Heinz Field if the Browns didn’t go one-dimensional in the second half? Do the Browns hold on to their lead at halftime in Week 16 against Baltimore if it wasn’t for horrendous play-calling toward the end of the half?
We’ll never know, but we know Baker Mayfield gives the Browns a shot against their AFC North rivals that no other quarterback has offered since 1999.
Reason Two: Commitment to the Run is Trending Upward
The Browns ran the ball 40% of the time in 2019, as if Kitchens forgot he had a Pro Bowl running back and the 2017 rushing champion in the same backfield. With General Manager Andrew Berry trading for fullback Andy Janovich and signing right tackle Jack Conklin, it shows the Browns figure to balance the playbook.
In 2019, Kitchens relied too much on Baker Mayfield behind a porous offensive line that left the second-year quarterback pulling his best impression of Tim Couch, taking 40 sacks. And with one of the best, if not the best, one-two duos in the league at running back in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, committing to the run will open passing lanes that were barren in 2019.
When your offense boasts Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, and Austin Hooper, a balanced approach with Chubb and Hunt spell nightmares for opposing defensive coordinators. Every one of these players made a Pro Bowl. Think about it for a second.
Kitchens couldn’t figure this out. It looks like Berry and new coach Kevin Stefanski already have.
Reason Three: No Quarterback Controversy
Newly signed quarterback Case Keenum is on the back nine of his career. He knows his role with the Browns. He’s a backup in Cleveland. A high-end backup, but he isn’t legitimate competition for Mayfield. Keenum’s only challenging for the starting job if Baker tosses five picks in Week One.
It’s hard to win in the NFL when teams lack stability at quarterback. Five of the six 2019 playoff teams in the AFC saw returning starters. Only the Titans (Ryan Tannehill), had a starter in his first season with the team. In the NFC, all six playoff teams boasted returning starters. Bottom Line: To win long-term in the NFL, you need stability at the game’s most important position.
It’s a Different Season
There are many variables that set this Browns team apart from 2019, including a year of experience from players like Odell Beckham teaming with Mayfield. Kareem Hunt will start the season with the rest of the team, having just signed his second-round tender. Myles Garrett returns after a six-game suspension but must keep a cool head when things get tense. Guys like Sheldon Richardson, Larry Ogunjobi, and Olivier Vernon have experience playing together on the same line.
Cleveland Browns fans have a right to be just as optimistic in 2020 as they were in 2019. With returning players and no revolving door at key positions, the Browns can and will move on from the 2019 debacle.
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