It was a long and painful two decades, but the Cleveland Browns are now a truly balanced team. They have real talent across the board, both sides of the ball. We got a glimpse of what they can do with the many weapons they\u2019ve been gifted in the last year or so.<\/p>\n
Countless disappointments and unreliability at this position plagued the team for years. In 2018, the Browns drafted Baker Mayfield<\/a> and he looked every bit the star quarterback they desperately needed. Mayfield swooped in and gave the fans some hope late in the season. The following year, he declined dramatically giving everyone flashbacks of the many years before.<\/p>\n 2020 was a comeback year for Mayfield, shining bright and renewed. A lot of his success can be accredited to head coach Kevin Stefanski, who knew just how to draw out the best from this third-year quarterback. Mayfield threw for 3,263 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2020. For two decades, Cleveland hadn\u2019t been remotely close to finding a reliable quarterback, but in Mayfield, they finally have \u2018their guy\u2019.<\/p>\n Much like the quarterback position, Cleveland hasn\u2019t had the best luck with running backs. Enter Nick Chubb<\/a>, the best running back<\/a> in Cleveland since 1999. In just three seasons, he rushed for 3,557 yards and 28 touchdowns. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 80 yards per game. He\u2019s been rushing at an elite level since he entered the league and some might even dare say he is top 5 in the NFL currently.<\/p>\n He\u2019s one of only three Browns running backs to rush for over 1,000 yards but his 28 touchdowns are more than the other three combined. Add this to the fact that he\u2019s also one of only three Browns running backs to have double-digit touchdown seasons. Last season, Chubb rushed for 12 touchdowns even though he missed four games.<\/p>\n Making up the other half of Cleveland\u2019s impressive running back tandem is Kareem Hunt<\/a>. Together he and Chubb broke tackles, broke away for big plays and by fourth quarter broke the will of the opposition. They are everything a team needs from their running backs.<\/p>\n Stefanski said he wanted to take offense to the next level<\/a> – and he did. With quarterback and running backs sorted, Cleveland\u2019s wide receivers are set to perform well. While the Browns have said they\u2019re willing to listen to offers for Odell Beckham<\/a> Jr., others think it would be crazy to give him up. The Browns run-centric offense gives Mayfield a chance to hit his play-action – OBJ and Jarvis Landry<\/a> are great in that situation. The offense will be explosive on the back-end.<\/p>\n The unit struggled somewhat in 2020. However, smart offseason moves have given much reason to believe they can thrive in 2021. Finally securing linebacker Jadeveon Clowney<\/a> after a year-long pursuit has really lifted the mood in Cleveland. He is the ideal man to play opposite Myles Garrett<\/a> – they’ll push each other. John Johnson<\/a> III was a great decision, being one of the best safeties in the league. Keeping reliable guys like Malcolm Smith<\/a> will make a difference. Meanwhile, Sione Takitaki<\/a> and Jacob Phillips<\/a> are excellent run defenders.<\/p>\nTheir Running Game Is Solid<\/h4>\n
Offense Has Reached New Heights<\/h4>\n
Defense is Looking Good Too<\/h4>\n
Even The Browns Kicker Is Reliable<\/h4>\n