NFL
If there was ever a team to make a stand in 2020, it’s the Cleveland Browns. For the past few years, fans, analysts, and players have waited for the moment where the Browns finally shed their losing ways. They have drafted well, made some of the best free-agent pickups, but they have not been able to put it all together. Is this the season where everything falls in place?
Although they faltered down the stretch in 2019, there is plenty of hope and pride left in this team. The offense should be at the top of the league in 2020 and the defense, while overlooked is home to one of the best secondaries in the NFL.
It will take some great coaching from the sidelines but it all comes down to the players on the field and their ability to execute.
It’s easy to talk about their long history of failures. Instead, we’ll just tackle the last two seasons. Every time the Browns appear to have found the light at the end of the tunnel, something goes wrong. In 2018, the young core was just coming together. A playoff berth was in their sites but they fell short.
Can The Cleveland Browns Right The Ship
In 2019, the writing was on the wall for a redemption season but the Browns fell short, yet again. No matter what the issues were, coming into the 2020 season, the Browns will be full of motivation. Imagine being the team that puts the franchise back on the map after years of futility. This is what the current core of players are striving for.
Baker Mayfield wants to take the next step the same as Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, Pat Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson. He has the weapons around him to do so. Then you take into account, Odell Beckham. He wants to prove that he’s still one of the best receivers in the league.
As for Myles Garrett, he must have a big year to put the incident with the Pittsburgh Steelers behind him. This team is all about getting things right and that’s a scary thought for the rest of the NFL.
The Future Is Now
Each season, teams look for motivation to help guide them through the long haul of 16+ games. For the Cleveland Browns, they must look no further than what’s in their locker room. Each player who has been a part of the last three seasons, now understands that expectations are just that. Some are made by the fans, media, and the front office. But now, they must put expectations on themselves.
Heading into the 2020-21 season, the Browns know they can change the direction of the franchise for years to come. Look at what Lamar Jackson did for the Baltimore Ravens last season. The AFC North is a tough division but the Browns know they can navigate the treacherous waters if everyone is on the same page. It’s time for a leader to emerge for the team and he has to let them know that the chip they carry around should help guide them.
The Cleveland Browns are a dangerous team. The rest of the league already understands that. The issue is, the Browns have yet to get that memo.
