NFL
By: Greg Rector
The Cleveland Browns have had plenty of talent lately however, they continue to struggle to be a consistent team. The Browns face a very stiff division and last made the playoffs in the 2020 season. Can head coach Kevin Stefanski continue to lead the Browns? Most importantly for the Cleveland Browns can Deshaun Watson lead the offense to the glory which has plagued the Cleveland Browns for so many seasons?
would hate to be the opposing team seeing these two walk out of the tunnel @deshaunwatson | @NickChubb pic.twitter.com/chj48LBDBF
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 25, 2023
Cleveland Browns Offense
Deshaun Watson has had an entire off-season to work with the Browns’ offense. The suspension is over and done with. Now the question remains what can Deshaun Watson be as a quarterback? Can he return to the days when he was considered an elite quarterback when he was with the Houston Texans? That’s the main concern for the Browns.
At running back the Browns have Nick Chubb long a favorite player on my fantasy football teams. Chubb has been consistently good and no longer has Kareem Hunt in the same backfield. This season Nick Chubb must be the main man in the running game and with his usage over the years does he suffer from the NFL RB decline?
The wide receivers are Amari Cooper Donovan Peoples-Jones and ex-NY Jet Elijah Moore. The Browns drafted Cedric Tillman out of Tennessee Volunteers to bring in an additional weapon for Deshaun Watson.
The offensive line was and is considered league-wide as one of the best units in the NFL. They added Dawand Jones from the Ohio State Buckeyes and as of now, Jones is considered a backup at the right tackle position. If you saw Jones dominate the Senior Bowl day this young man is a bull in a man’s body.
My question remains what can Deshaun Watson be as the Browns quarterback? That has to be the key for the Browns to become a playoff team in the 2023 NFL season.
Cleveland Browns Defense
The Browns’ defense is led by Myles Garrett one of the very best defensive ends in the game. No longer does Jared Clowney occupy the other end position Za’Darius Smith is over from the Vikings and should be a solid contributor. The other addition to the defensive line is Siaki Ika out of Baylor. The big defensive tackle has to contribute as a pass rusher in addition to stopping the running game.
A big question mark for the Cleveland Browns is the health of Jeremiah Owusu- Koramoah. If JOK can remain healthy that will be great news for Browns fans.
The free safety position was taken over by Juan Thornhill who recently won the Super Bowl with the Chiefs. Adding Thornhill to a solid group of safeties and cornerbacks will be a vital addition to the Browns’ defense.
My main question is will the Cleveland Browns defense step and make the big plays consistently enough? That’s been a mystery to me the last couple of seasons with the Browns. The defense disappears and or makes too many self-inflicted wounds to see the Browns as a playoff team.
My Outlook
Sorry but in the AFC North division facing Joe Burrow and his Bengals along with long-time rivals the Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, I just can’t see the Cleveland Browns succeeding to be a winner in the division. I have the Cleveland Browns going 7-10 and missing the playoffs yet again.
