By: Andy Davies

Last season, the Cleveland Browns earned their first playoff appearance since the 2002 campaign and their first postseason win since New Year’s Day in 1995. 

As a result, they went into the 2021 season with plenty of hype. However, it hasn’t worked out like this. The team’s current record is 5-5 and they are in a division where every team has at least 5 wins. 

So, what has gone wrong for a team that many had down as AFC North division winners? Is there still a chance to win it?

Inconsistent Division

The short answer is yes, they can. The AFC North is fast becoming one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL, but no team has managed to get some sort of consistency. Baltimore Ravens fans will certainly tell you that. 

They had a 5-1 start, which included a 46-35 win over the reigning AFC Champions Kansas City Chiefs. The week after beating the Los Angeles Chargers 34-6, a team that many have as a Super Bowl dark horse, they lost 41-17 to division rivals the Cincinnati Bengals. On Thursday night, they lost 22-10 to the Miami Dolphins, who were 2-6 before the game. More worryingly for the Ravens, the Dolphins appeared to show the entire league the blueprint as to how to beat them. 

The Cincinnati Bengals were briefly top of the division just a matter of weeks ago but now sits in 3^rd place. We have seen the excitement of the Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase partnership but have equally seen the defense allow at least 34 points their last two games as they suffered defeats to the Browns and New York Jets.

There was a difficult start made by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite the surprise 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills in Week One, they lost their next three games to go 1-3. However, they have not lost a game since and now sit 5-3-1. Head coach Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season, but they still have to face the Chargers, Ravens twice, the current AFC number one seed in the Tennessee Titans as well as Cleveland.

Cleveland themselves have to also play the Packers on Christmas Day and the rest of their AFC North rivals, but also get to play a 0-8-1 Detroit Lions and an inconsistent Las Vegas Raiders. Their schedule is fairly favourable, but they have to cut out their own erratic performances if they are to succeed.

Sorting Out Their Own Inconsistencies

The Browns have really struggled for consistency this season. They won three straight games after their opening day loss to the Chiefs but have failed to win consecutive games since. 

If a team is to win championships, then they have to win games consistently. Whilst is it more important how you play in January than how you play in October or November, but you have to make sure you play in January past the regular season.

What have the great New England Patriots sides done in the past? Gotten a consistent run of good form down the stretch. This is exactly what the Browns need to do as runs like this help build momentum and confidence in the crucial postseason games.

The Baker Conundrum

Quarterback Baker Mayfield is easily one of the more polarising players in his position. There are some that feel he is the guy. There are others that view him as nothing more than a ”˜game manager’. 

So far in 2021, he has 1,990 yards, 9 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. This has him projected to finish the campaign with just under 3,980 yards but crucially just under 18 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. This would have him at around his career best in terms of yardage but his worst season when it comes to touchdown passes.

His career so far has defined patchy. He had amazing seasons in both the 2018 and 2020 campaigns but has been poor in 2019 and 2021. He will be expecting a good season in 2022 judging by how his time as a pro has gone, but there is no guarantee he will earn his new contract. This ends after the conclusion of the 2022 season, which may see him raise his game. He has to be careful that he doesn’t suffer a further dip in form. 

Quarterbacks such as Jimmy Garoppolo and Tua Tagovailoa may be available that would fit into the game manager role and allow the excellent run game to flourish. He will have plenty of suitors due to being the number one overall pick in 2018 and the two excellent seasons he has had but he will want to succeed in Cleveland. This is clear to see. One thing that hasn’t helped is the broken-down relationship with wide receiver OBJ.

The OBJ Dilemma

Say what you want about Odell Beckham Jr, the dynamic around him and Baker’s relationship cannot have helped things in Cleveland. Throughout Beckham’s time in Ohio, the talk of a lack of chemistry between the pair has been a constant talking point.

There is substance to this, with the fact that the Browns made the playoffs last season with Odell injured. 

The loss of running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to injury hasn’t helped, despite the best efforts of D’Ernest Johnson. The one-two punch of both backs reduced the need for Baker to throw to ball to. Instead, these injuries have meant Baker has had to throw to ball to. This can be seen by his stats, with Baker projected to throw for career highs in completed passes and his second highest total in attempted passes. 

OBJ’s dad has posted videos on social media of the amount of times Beckham has been open and not received the ball. There is clear frustration from the Odell camp. Now that he has gone, along with the return of Chubb and Hunt, will help ease the tension at the franchise. Should the struggles ease, with such a good plethora of offensive and defensive talent, this should see head coach Kevin Stefanski guide them to another playoff appearance (or two). Should things further unravel, then Baker will be vastly looking over his shoulder at Free Agency and the 2023 draft quarterback prospects.

The post Looking at the Browns Inconsistent 2021 Season appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Michael Welsh

We enter week 3 in the NFL this week and the Cleveland Browns sit at 1-1 on the season, tied for first place in the AFC North. After a sluggish win against the Texans in week two, Cleveland looks to bounce back for their first convincing win of the 2021 season.

Rookie Justin Fields will be making his first career start against the Browns on Sunday. There have been criticisms of how soft Joe Woods’ defense has looked, especially against the Texans in week two. There appears to be a lot of zone being played and just an overall conservative approach. There are a lot of new faces on defense, so maybe it is taking some time for them to gel. Either way, this game should be one where things look different on the defensive side of the ball. Let’s take a look at the winning formula for the Browns this week.

Pressure, pressure, pressure

It feels like the Browns have barely blitzed at all this season. In addition to that, the defensive line hasn’t gotten the pressure that most expected at this point. With a rookie quarterback under center, it will be crucial to put pressure on him multiple times throughout the game. Expect more safety blitzes from Grant Delpit, who had an impressive debut last week with one sack and one tackle for a loss. It’ll be important to rattle Fields early and force him to make mistakes. Joe Woods cannot be timid this week. Dial it up.

Hit a few big plays

After Baker Mayfield dislocated his shoulder last week, the play-calling from Kevin Stefanski became a lot more reserved in order to protect the injury. Jarvis Landry is out this week with an injury, but Odell Beckham Jr. is expected to make his season debut, and it would be wise to try and hit a few big plays with him early. If he does play, the Bears probably won’t expect anything dynamic right out of the gate, which is why hitting a double move early on could be beneficial. Aside from OBJ, don’t be surprised if rookie Demetric Felton gets more involved this week too.

Get a lead going into halftime

Momentum is huge in football games. Last week, the Browns went into halftime tied with the Texans. That is better than being down, of course, but it would be ideal if Cleveland has the lead at halftime. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt absolutely thrive in the second half, so having a lead means you can start feeding them the ball earlier. Plus it will be good for the team’s confidence as a whole to have a lead and then convincingly beat a team that is inferior.

Don’t give the ball away

In both games this season, the Browns have had multiple giveaways. Doing that each game will lead to more losses than victories, so they will have to clean it up against the Bears. No fumbles, no interceptions, just play mistake-free football. This is a game where Baker Mayfield needs multiple touchdowns and no interceptions, and everyone just needs to take care of the ball.

The post Cleveland Browns have a tough matchup against Justin Fields and Chicago Bears appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Calvin K (Twitter: @Calvin_SGF)

On the surface, the Cleveland Browns appear to have a great opportunity to contend for the AFC title this year. The Browns retained most of their key players from 2020, and they had a very successful offseason, both in free agency and in the draft. This team certainly has an opportunity to make a playoff run, but in this article, I’ll play devil’s advocate and make the case against them. Here are three reasons why the Browns won’t take a step forward in 2021.

1. Quality of Victories

The Browns finished 11-5 in 2020, losing in the divisional round to the Kansas City Chiefs after defeating the Steelers in the Wild Card game. However, five of those victories came against teams with four or fewer wins, and they also had an embarrassing loss to the 2-14 New York Jets. Eight of their victories came by single-digits, and they had three double-digit losses, including two coming by over 30 points.

Granted, the Browns did get some big wins throughout the year, with a win over Indianapolis and narrow victories over Tennessee and Pittsburgh. They also rebounded from their earlier 32-point loss to Baltimore, losing by just five, and they also came within one score of the Chiefs in their divisional-round game. However, most of their wins were extremely close games, and they were in one-possession games against Houston, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, and Cincinnati (twice). They managed to get the job done in those, winning all five, but a little bit of variance in just two of those could’ve completely changed the landscape of last season. A 9-7 (or even 10-6) Browns team would’ve missed the playoffs last season, which leads nicely into my next point: the tough competition in the AFC.

2. Competition

Even if the Browns have a great year, it could still be difficult to take a step forward and reach the championship game in 2021. The AFC had seven teams with records of 11-5 or better last year, which caused the 10-6 Dolphins to miss out on the playoffs despite the postseason expanding to seven teams per conference.

The Browns themselves had to deal with this tough competition last year, playing a grueling game against the Steelers in the Wild Card matchup before facing the juggernaut Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes was injured for nearly half of that game, but Kansas City’s supporting cast was still good enough to hold off the Browns, exemplifying how elite they really are. The Bills, Ravens, Titans, and Colts are also teams that range from very good to dominant, and we can’t forget about the threats posed by the Patriots, Chargers, Dolphins, and Broncos, who will all have a chance to take a major step up this year. It just doesn’t seem feasible that the Browns would be able to defeat a healthy Chiefs team, and even if they could, the Bills’ high-powered offense and improved defense is in a much better position to do so anyway. The tough AFC competition will make a playoff run difficult for Cleveland, and while they could contend with most NFC teams, it isn’t smart to bet on the Browns as anything more than a Super Bowl long shot.

3. Quarterback Play

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is hardly a bad QB, but it is possible that he won’t be consistent enough to take this team to the top. The Browns have very few weaknesses on their overall roster, but quarterback is such an important position that even a slight disadvantage can derail a Super Bowl chance.

Mayfield certainly displayed plenty of brilliant flashes last season, but his overall body of work was mediocre, at least statistically. His worst stat last year was completion percentage, where he actually finished 30th among qualifying passers. He was also just 18th in passing yards and 15th in passing touchdowns, although those totals can be partially attributed to the run-heavy nature of the Browns’ offense. Mayfield was also 10th in ESPN’s QBR (Total Quarterback Rating), so he’s certainly not a bad player by any means, but he has struggled with decision-making at times. It’s certainly possible Mayfield is able to be a great QB, but his statistics don’t match up with elite passers in the NFL, and that could potentially become a hindrance for Cleveland’s Super Bowl hopes.

Conclusion

All of the reasons given paint an unfavorable picture for the Browns, but we shouldn’t forget the many positives that this team has as well. The Browns made many depth signings to improve their defense, and they added an edge-rushing playmaker in Jadeveon Clowney, who has the physical traits needed to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines. The NFL draft additions of CB Greg Newsome and LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will also be vital for this defense, and those two players could both make immediate impacts for the team.

Overall, Cleveland will enter the 2021 season with a very strong roster, and there’s no arguing against the talent that the team possesses. On paper, this team looks like a borderline Super Bowl contender. However, due to the reasons stated above, there are major obstacles standing in the way of a big next step. These obstacles are ones that can be overcome, but even so, the end of the 2021 season may not come with as rosy of a picture as Browns fans hope.

The post Why the Browns May Not Take the Next Step appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jeremy Trottier

The NFL Preseason is nearing its final week of play, and then we have a week off before the NFL season starts.  This time of year is always particularly interesting, as many people are attempting to predict the division winners of each conference, and trying to make predictions as to which teams will make deep playoff runs, and which will fizzle out.  With that said, in this article, I will be predicting the winner of each AFC division, as well as why I believe this is the case.

AFC North ”“ Cleveland Browns

Starting off in the north, we have the Cleveland Browns, who made it the furthest of any team from this division in the playoffs last year and have been able to improve their team significantly since then.  Additions like Troy Hill, Jadeveon Clowney, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Greg Newsome will really take this team and move it up the ranks. 

The return of Odell Beckham Jr. as well as last year’s second-round pick Grant Delpit making his debut should improve the team even further than last year significantly.  If the backfield duo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt can continue the tear they were going on last season, this team could be near unstoppable in the regular season.

AFC East ”“ Buffalo Bills

As much as I have liked the New England Patriots off-season moves, I still think they are not yet there in terms of being division winners again.  Buffalo filled their one biggest need in the offseason, that being edge rushing, with one of the best DEs in the class in Gregory Rousseau, as well as picking up Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr. in the second round of the draft.  The offense was not the issue with this team, it was extremely explosive last year.

The defense on the other hand was somewhat tamed compared to years past, these two additions should hugely impact their success along the defensive line and should allow them to make critical stops where they could not last season.

AFC South ”“ Tennessee Titans

This one is all but solidified after the injuries sustained to Carson Wentz and Quenton Nelson of the Indianapolis Colts, which may leave them out for the early half of the season.  The Jaguars improved, for sure, but not to a point where they are considered for contention, and the Houston Texans are basically fighting for last in the league more than likely.  The Titans on the other hand added one of the most star-studded receivers in the league, Julio Jones.

The 1-2 punch of Julio Jones and A.J. Brown is one that should be feared immensely.  The additions of Caleb Farley and Monty Rice should help them out significantly on the defensive side, and Dillon Radunz should be able to protect Ryan Tannehill long enough to get the ball out.

AFC West ”“ Kansas City Chiefs

This division could be getting closer than in years past with the Chargers and Justin Herbert seemingly on the horizon as the next big team.  With that said, that time is not yet here.  Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce still remain the focal points of this offense, and the return of Clyde Edwards-Helaire will help them get some productivity in the run game.  

In terms of additions, the Chiefs brought in OT Orlando Brown Jr., who should help protect Mahomes from the outside and help out in the run protection as well.  To lock up the interior they got C Creed Humphrey, one of my personal favorite IOLs entering this draft class.  Overall, the rich have gotten richer, and should be poised for another playoff run.

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By: Michael Welsh

The preseason in the NFL is well underway and we are starting to see how younger players are performing in the league. Most starters aren’t playing in order to avoid any major injuries. The Cleveland Browns have played two preseason games and they have won both, looking like a well-oiled machine the entire time. Kevin Stefanski appears to be in total control of the team and the players have bought into the transformed culture in The Land. There is a lot to be excited about if you’re a Browns fan.

The offensive side of the ball is essentially running it back from the 2020 season and because of this, everyone has been anxious to see how the revamped defense would perform. On both sides of the ball, depth is very important and so many players are fighting for roster spots. Let’s take a look at how the offense, defense, and special teams have performed so far.

The Offense

Players such as Baker Mayfield, Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb, and Odell Beckham Jr have yet to see the field. That doesn’t mean the offense hasn’t been exciting, though. Quarterback Case Keenum has started both games and because he has experience playing under Kevin Stefanski in Minnesota, he has appeared very comfortable. It is nice knowing the Browns could still be competitive if something happened to Baker Mayfield. Third string quarterback Kyle Lauletta has looked impressive as well, making some nice throws in the Jaguars game. He might end up on the practice squad.

One thing we learned in both preseason games is that Cleveland is absolutely stacked at wide receiver and running back. Donovan Peoples-Jones has shined, catching everything thrown his way. KhaDarel Hodge and Damion Davis have looked sure-handed as well. There are going to be some tough decisions to be made with this wide receiver room. In addition to all of them, rookie running back/wide receiver hybrid Demetric Felton has looked fantastic in both games, displaying great hands and elusive speed in open space. It will be interesting to see where he ends up on the roster.

In the running back room, things are a little more set in stone. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt round out the best one-two punch in the NFL, but depth is always needed. D’Earnest Johnson has looked good, specifically in the game against the New York Giants. He had some key runs in 2020 when Nick Chubb went down with injury. It is likely that he will make the roster and the third string running back, and Demetric Felton will be kept as a wide receiver.

Where the offense has shined is the offensive line. Not one starter has played and the backups have overall been exceptional. That has to be such a relief for Kevin Stefanski to have so much depth in such a vital area. They won’t be able to keep all of them, but rookie James Hudson, Blake Hance, Nick Harris, Michael Dunn, and Drew Forbes all have a shot to make this team. It’ll just come down to how many they decide to keep. Offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who is arguably the best offensive line coach in the NFL, said he truly believes all of their backups could be starters in the league. High praise from him, so expect other teams to quickly scoop up who the Browns do not keep.

The Defense

Much like the offense, most starters haven’t played yet on defense. Adding to that, unfortunately for the Browns injuries have piled up on that side of the ball. Most of these injuries aren’t season ending, but they did lose linebacker Jacob Phillips for the season due to a tendon tear. A big blow for a player most expected to take a nice step in 2021. Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney, and Grant Delpit have been dealing with hamstring issues, but they are expected to be ready by week one.

The secondary and linebackers have had some good moments in the preseason, and some moments where they looked like young rookies. First round pick Greg Newsome displayed good coverage skills in the first preseason game and he will most likely win the starting job opposite of Denzel Ward, especially since Greedy Williams has been dealing with numerous injuries. The most impressive safety by far has been Richard LeCounte. He has two interceptions in two games and has shown great closing speed and play recognition. The Browns may have gotten a steal in Lecounte, who could see a lot of playing time this season. Moving to the linebackers, the hype is real for rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. He looked like a stud in the game against the Jaguars, recording eight total tackles, one sack, and three tackles for a loss. He played less in the Giants game, which has lead most to believe that he will be the week one starter against Kansas City.

Probably the biggest question mark on Cleveland’s defense is the interior defensive line. Malik Jackson hasn’t played yet, so Andrew Billings, Tommy Togiai, Jordan Elliot, and Malk McDowell have gotten most of the snaps. Billings has appeared decent, but also looked very slow and unimpressive at times. Keep in mind that he didn’t play at all in 2020, so rust could be hard to shake off. Rookie Tommy Togiai has played well, recording a sack and getting several pressures. Perhaps the most impressive is Malik McDowell, who finished as the highest graded player for the Browns against the Giants. Lots of intriguing decisions to be made on the defensive line.

Special Teams

Cleveland’s special teams has been a bit rocky in the last few years. While they saw some success in 2019, 2020 had some ups and downs. Third year punter Jamie Gillian had a down year in 2020, but he was battling a groin injury throughout the season. He should return to his 2019 form this Fall. Cody Parkey was going to return as the kicker this season, but he suffered a season-ending injury this past week. He was battling Chase McLauhlin for the job, but with his injury, Chase will proceed forward as the Browns kicker. He is in his third season, so it could go either way interns of success.

Demetric Felton returned some punts and he had flashes of possibly securing the job. The coverage units on both punts and kickoffs have looked fine overall, except in the Jaguars game where they nearly gave up a return that was called back due to penalty. Who Andrew Berry and company decide to keep will be vital to the special teams unit, so if players want to make this roster they will need to contribute to special teams. There will be some compelling decisions to be made in the coming days.

The post Evaluating the Browns after two preseason games appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Michael Welsh

The Cleveland Browns arguably have the most talented backfield in the NFL, and going into 2021 it could be even more dangerous than it was in 2020. Nick Chubb, fresh off signing a contract extension, is fully healthy and ready to go. Kareem Hunt has been looking great in training camp, and rookie RB/WR hybrid Demetric Felton has been very impressive.

Even though Felton has looked good, there is a chance that he makes the team as a wide receiver and the Browns bring back D’earnest Johnson to be the third-string running back. Many believe that Johnson won’t make the team, though. For arguments sake, we will move forward with the idea that the third-string running back in Felton. Let’s take a look at the stat line predictions for the Browns backfield.

Nick Chubb

The Browns have an absolute stud in Nick Chubb, who is entering his fourth NFL season. An argument can be made that he is the best running back in football, especially as a pure runner. He is vital to Cleveland’s offense and he should have another great season since the elite offensive line had no turnover. Chubb missed four games with an MCL sprain in 2020, but barring no setbacks in 2021, he should play “every single game”. He has averaged over five yards per carry in every year since he arrived in the NFL.

1,255 yards, 5.3 YPC, 10 touchdowns

22 receptions, 190 yards, 2 touchdowns

Kareem Hunt

There are several teams in the NFL that could use Kareem Hunt as their number one running back. The Browns are very fortunate to have two rushing-title-capable-backs on the same roster, and Kevin Stefanski knows how to use them both well. There is a good chance that Hunt and Chubb can both have 1,000+ yards, which is very rare in today’s pass heavy league.

1,022 yards, 4.4 YPC, 7 touchdowns

44 receptions, 380 yards, 4 touchdowns

Demetric Felton

There is a solid chance that Demetric Felton gets minimal touches out of the backfield this year, but if he does it will likely be catching the ball. The Browns are reportedly testing him out at kick/punt returner as well, so there could be more opportunities there for him. In the event of a blowout, Kevin Stefanski might put him in at running back to give Hunt and Chubb some rest. Overall, don’t expect big numbers out of him this season

122 yards rushing, 4.2 YPC, 1 touchdown

11 receptions, 133 yards, 1 touchdown

The post Projecting the stat lines of the Browns RBs appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Michael Welsh

Training camp is in full force around the NFL and football is officially back. The Cleveland Browns have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL and are stacked on both sides of the ball. On the offensive side, there is a plethora of talent at wide receiver. In Kevin Stefanski’s run-heavy offense, it will be intriguing to see how he schemes all of this talent week in and week out. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is great at spreading the ball around, so the wide receivers should all get plenty of opportunities. Let’s take a look at stat predictions for Cleveland’s pass catchers going into the 2021 season.

Odell Beckham Jr

Coming off an ACL tear, it is hard to fully know how good OBJ will be this season. All indications point towards a great bounce-back year, though. He is ahead of schedule in his rehab and is looking good in training camp so far. There is a lot of pressure for him and Mayfield to click on all cylinders this year, but people tend to forget that OBJ was having a good season before his injury in 2020. With consistency on the offense in terms of system, scheme, and players, OBJ should enjoy a “Comeback Player of the Year” type season.

85 receptions, 1,220 yards, 9 touchdowns

Jarvis Landry

Since Baker’s 2018 rookie year, Jarvis Landry has been extremely consistent in a Cleveland uniform. Him and Mayfield are almost always on the same page and there is no reason to think that 2021 will be any different. He is never gonna be the guy to stretch the field and catch a lot of touchdowns, but he is clutch and helps move the chains. He should join Beckham in breaking 1,000 yards this season, similar to how they did in 2019.

73 receptions, 1,078 yards, 5 touchdowns

Rashard Higgins

The chemistry between Baker Mayfield and Rashard Higgins is simply incredible. When OBJ went down with his injury in 2020, Higgins stepped up big and made countless big plays on the back half of the season. He will most likely be the third string receiver, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of opportunities for him. There is a good chance Stefanski’s offense will evolve and have more of the receivers involved at once. Higgins isn’t the fastest guy, but he acts a security blanket for Mayfield. Look for him to have a similar year to what he had in 2020.

41 receptions, 520 yards, 5 touchdowns

Donovan Peoples-Jones

There is a decent chance the Donovan Peoples-Jones beats out Rashard Higgins for the third string roster spot. DPJ looked really good as a rookie in 2020 and he is arguably having the strongest camp of any player on the Browns this year. He has bulked up and gotten faster, and one can assume that Stefanski will have to find ways to get him on the field this year. He stepped up big time when OBJ got injured in 2020 and has proven to have great hands at the NFL level. He only had 14 catches in his rookie campaign, but averaged and impressive 20 yards per catch.

26 receptions, 467 yards, 4 touchdowns

Anthony Schwartz

The last wide receiver that will be fighting for playing time is rookie Anthony Schwartz. He definitely needs a lot of time to develop, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have a role in 2021. Being extremely fast, he could help take the top off the defense in certain situations. However, with all of the other talent on the offense, don’t expect him to get a lot of touches. His main role will most likely be on end around and trick plays.

16 catches, 185 yards, 2 touchdowns

The post Projecting the stat lines for the Browns WRs appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Michael Welsh

With each day that passes, we are getting closer and closer to football season. Before we get to the pre-season, training camp has to happen. There are always intriguing position battles to watch for each team, and with the Browns, there are a few in particular that should be on the front of fan’s minds.

Cleveland has one of, if not the most complete roster in all of football. This means tough decisions will have to be made on who makes the team and who ends up being the week one starters. The offensive side of the ball is basically set as is, so most of these interesting battles will be taking place on the defensive side. Let’s take a look at the two position battles to keep an eye on during training camp

The defensive line as a whole

The toughest decisions for the coaching staff will be on the defensive line. The edges are set with superstar Myles Garrett and the well-known Jadeveon Clowney, with free agent acquisition Takk Mckinley on rotation. Where it gets interesting is the interior defensive line. Below are the players on the interior fighting for a roster spot and a starting job:

Malik Jackson (free agent signing)

Sheldon Day (2021 signing from practice squad)

Jordan Elliot (Browns draft pick, 2020)

Malik McDowell (2021 free agent signing)

Damion Square (2021 free agent signing)

Tommy Togiai (Browns draft pick, 2021)

Marvin Wilson (2021 undrafted free agent signing)

That is a massive amount of talent fighting for a few roster spots. General Manager Andrew Berry is very high on Jordan Elliot, who showed flashes in his 2020 rookie year. Malik Jackson will most likely take Sheldon Richardson’s spot, so if all goes well he will be first on the depth chart. Tommy Togiai was drafted this year, so one would think he has a spot solidified. Malik McDowell is interesting as well, but he doesn’t have much experience. Perhaps the one to watch the most is undrafted free agent Marvin Wilson. At one point, he was one of the best defensive tackles in college football. His talent is undeniable, but he got caught up with some on and off the field issues at Florida State. If he puts it all together, he could be a massive steal that makes the roster.

Overall, the coaching staff will likely keep three or four of them on the roster, so it will be exciting to see what happens. A scenario of Jackson, Elliot, and Togiai making the roster with Square and Marvin Wilson on the practice squad is fairly likely. But we will know soon enough.

The Cornerbacks

Besides Pro Bowler Denzel Ward, the cornerback room has a long way until the other starter is decided. Rookie first round pick Greg Newsome has a substantial amount of hype and has looked good so far in minicamps, but he is still a rookie after all. Greedy Williams hasn’t played football in awhile, but he had plenty of flashes in 2019 of being a good player in this league. It is going to be fascinating to see who ends up winning the starting job between Newsome and Williams. They’re both incredibly talented and liked by the front office quite a bit. They will both definitely make the team, but who starts opposite of Denzel Ward likely won’t be decided until the end of training camp, possibly even the end of pre-season. Odds are it will be Newsome since he is this current front office’s guy, but don’t sleep on Williams. He has something to prove. Troy Hill is probably the only other player within the cornerbacks that has a starting spot secured. He will be the Nickel corner and can possibly jump outside as well if needed.

Turning to the depth side of the roster, the battle between Robert Jackson and AJ Green should be intense. Green was an undrafted free agent signing in 2020, and was giving a generous rookie contract. There were whispers that he looked good on the practice squad in 2020, but he needed more development. Seeing how far he has come since then during training camp will be fun to watch. Robert Jackson stepped in as a starter in 2020 due to injuries, and his play was fairly rocky. But he is good on special teams and can snag a roster spot if he continues to excel there. Will Green be able to show special teams skills and get Jackson’s spot instead? Or will they both make the roster? Time will tell, but get your popcorn ready because it will be electric.

The post Two Position Battles to Watch In Cleveland’s Training Camp appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Michael Welsh

The Browns finished the 2020 season with the 21st ranked defense, giving up a total of 5,735 yards. Clearly there were many areas to improve in, and in the 2021 off-season, Andrew Berry did just that with the draft and free agency. Outside of Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, and Ronnie Harrison, there was a lot left to be desired on that side of the ball last year.

You could say every area of the defense has improved dramatically and they are poised to potentially be a top 5 unit in the NFL. The defensive line should be much better with the additions of Jadeveon Clowney, Takk Mckinley, and Malik Jackson. Taking a look at the linebackers, there are still some questions but with Anthony Walker and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, they should be faster and far more dynamic.

All of those additions are great, but the area that improved the most overall is the secondary. In 2020, it was tough to see games where the offense would get a big lead, but then slowly let teams back in games as Andrew Sendejo blew yet another coverage. It wasn’t just Sendejo, though. Outside of Denzel Ward, who missed 4 games, the entire secondary was often dreadful and hard to watch. Andrew Berry knew this and aggressively attacked that weakness in the 2021 offseason. Let’s take a look at the new additions and how they can make a substantial impact this fall, along with returning players and how they fit into the defensive back room.

John Johnson III – Safety – 2020 team, Los Angelas Rams

Perhaps the best overall signing of free agency, the Browns picked up John Johnson for a 3 year deal worth $33 million. Johnson reportedly turned down more money to come to Cleveland, calling it an “opportunity of a lifetime.” That is music to Browns fans ears, and it will only get better when he steps on the field. Johnson played on the number one ranked defense in all of football last year, finishing with an 85.6 Pro Football Focus grade. The former third round pick also had the green dot on his helmet and called defensive plays, which makes him even more valuable if Joe Woods wants to go that route. He has potential to be the ball-hawking safety Cleveland has been looking for since returning to the league in 1999.

Troy Hill – Cornerback – 2020 team, Los Angelas Rams

Following in Johnson’s footsteps, Troy Hill signed with the Browns shortly after his deal was made official. Hill is going to be a huge addition as a nickel corner that is versatile and has a nose for the football. Hill scored two defensive touchdowns and had three interceptions in 2020, finishing with a 74.2 Pro Football Focus grade. Having arguably the best nickel corner in the NFL is a huge step up from Kevin Johnson and Terrance Mitchell who often played the position the last few years. Expect Hill to make an immediate impact.

Greg Newsome – Cornerback – 2020 team, Northwestern (college)

Andrew Berry was all smiles when pick 26 came around in the 2021 NFL Draft and Greg Newsome was still on the board. He has all the makings of an All-Pro cornerback in the NFL. Throughout college, Newsome thrived at Northwestern. He allowed a 31.7 passer rating in 2020, including a 0.0 rating on 3rd and 4th downs. Adding to that, Newsome allowed only 1 touchdown on 471 coverage snaps. He is the definition of a shutdown corner, and although he has much to learn at the next level, there is a good chance he makes the Pro Bowl his rookie year like fellow teammate Denzel Ward in 2018.

Denzel Ward – Cornerback – 2020 team, Cleveland Browns

Speaking of Denzel Ward, he’s one of the returning players to Cleveland’s defense in 2021, and he actually has a fair amount of pressure on him. Ward has played great in his young career, but has yet to play a full season. In 2021, we need to see him play every game and earn a contract extension from the front office. Either way, when he is on the field, he plays like a top 10 corner in the NFL. He finished with two interceptions and a 72.8 Pro Football Focus grade in 2020. Hopefully he can put it all together in 2021. Oh, and give us more slide tackles.

Ronnie Harrison – Safety – 2020 team, Jacksonville Jaguars/Cleveland Browns

Needing safety help last year after some injuries, Andrew Berry traded a third round pick for Ronnie Harrison. There had been flashes of him being a good safety in Jacksonville, and when he came to Cleveland, there was an immediate impact. Defensive Coordinator Joe Woods wants to run a lot of Dime packages with three safeties on the field, so Harrison should have a significant role on the defense. He finished with a 74.7 Pro Football Focus grade and a pick-six interception. If he stays healthy.

Grant Delpit – Safety – 2020 team, Cleveland Browns

It was devastating last year in training camp when Grant Delpit went down with a torn achilles. The hype around him was real and fans were dying to see him in action. Joe Woods had plans to use him in various ways, but had to change up his defense completely due to his injury. Delpit was a force in college, finishing with 8 interceptions and 120 tackles. His rehab is going very well and should be good to go for game one of the 2021 season.

Greedy Williams – Cornerback – 2020 team, Cleveland Browns

It is easy to forget about Greedy Williams since he missed all of 2020 due to nerve damage. At one point, Greedy’s career was in jeopardy. But after all that uncertainty, Greedy appears to be good to go for the 2021 season. It will be very interesting to see if he can win the starting job over Greg Newsome, but with whatever happens he will have a role in the nickel or rotating on the outside. In 2019, Greedy showed flashes and finished with a mediocre 54.6 Pro Football Focus grade. This is a big year for Williams to prove he can be a starter.

The post The Most Improved Area of Cleveland’s Defense: Secondary appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Michael Welsh

The Cleveland Browns are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball and they arguably have the most complete roster in the NFL. Odell Beckham Jr, Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb, and Kareem Hunt make up the elite wide receiver and running back rooms. It is important to not forget how talented the tight end room is as well, and how they can impact the offense in 2021.

In 2020, Andrew Berry signed Austin Hooper in Free Agency to 4 years $42 million deal. He joined David Njoku and rookie Harrison Bryant to make up a very talented tight end room. All the talent is great, but at the end of the day, there is only one football, so many wondered how all of these players would get involved. Kevin Stefanski loves his tight ends and needed ones that could block, which is a big reason Hooper was signed. Njoku is a freak athlete, but blocking is a weak spot of his game. Harrison Bryant figured to need a lot of development but was coming off a 1,000-yard season in college that leads him to become the winner of the Mackey Award. Let’s break down all of their performances in 2020 and how they should fare in 2021.

Austin Hooper

You can look at Hooper’s stats in 2020 and immediately say that he underperformed based on the contract he got. He finished with 46 receptions for 435 yards and 4 touchdowns. While these stats aren’t absolutely terrible, they are a big dip down from his 2019 year with the Falcons where he had 75 receptions for 787 yards and 6 touchdowns. This decrease in production is actually not as concerning as one might think. For starters, Hooper was a solid blocking tight end for the Browns in 2020. He made a lot of key blocks on running plays that helped spring, Nick Chubb. He was also very clutch and sure-handed, only having two drops all season. It was unfortunate that Hooper had a ruptured appendix because he was starting to develop chemistry with Baker Mayfield. Much like Baker, Hooper was getting comfortable in the offense coming off an unprecedented offseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hooper is expected to be more involved in 2021 and since it’ll be another year in a system he is now familiar with, his chemistry with Baker should be better. With so many mouths to feed on offense, Hooper will never put up huge numbers but don’t be surprised if he gets between 55 and 65 catches. Being a security blanket for Baker and continuing to improve as a blocker should be his two biggest focuses this upcoming season.

David Njoku

Perhaps one of the most intriguing players on the entire offense, David Njoku enters his 4th season with a lot to prove. The thing about Njoku is that he has all the traits to be a number one Pro Bowl tight end in the NFL, but he’s had some unfortunate setbacks in his young career. In 2018, Njoku really flashed with 56 catches 639 yards, and 4 touchdowns. 2019 was a forgettable year as he dealt with injuries and clashes with then-head coach Freddie Kitchens. In 2020, Njoku looked great even though his stats didn’t convey that. He finished with 19 catches for 213 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, if you watched the games you’d notice that many of his catches came in clutch moments and some were incredibly impressive. His athleticism is incredible and he can go up to make catches a lot of tight ends can’t. In addition to all that, his blocking improved dramatically and that helped get him on the field more.

In 2021, it will be very interesting to see how many touches Njoku gets. If he makes his way onto the field, especially in the red zone, he could have 30+ catches and 4-5 touchdowns. His jumping ability makes him a tough matchup one on one and with it being a contract year, there could be a fire lit under him. There are many Browns fans who argue that he is better than Hooper and should get just as much playing time, so we’ll see what happens. Either way, Njoku should have a significant role in Kevin Stefanski’s offense.

Harrison Bryant

Last but not least, we have Harrison Bryant who is coming off a good rookie season for the Browns. Bryant was drafted in the 4th round in 2020 and had a lot of buzz as a future star. He saw minimal playing time up until week 7 against the Bengals where he broke out with 4 receptions for 56 yards and 2 touchdowns. He displayed speed, good hands, and the ability to get separation in that game and he looked promising. In the coming weeks, common rookie mistakes started happening as Bryant had a few fumbles that contributed heavily to the outcome of the games. Those issues are fixable and there is no need to worry about his future, but they made the coaches take a step back with his playing time. Despite that, he finished the season with 24 receptions for 238 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also showed potential as a good blocking tight end.

In 2021, it is hard to say how much playing time Bryant will get. That is totally fine because he needs more time to develop and tight ends usually take a few years to fully form. His ball security and awareness are the two main areas he needs to improve in, but make no mistake that substantial talent is there. He has been compared to George Kittle and if he gets anywhere close to that, the Browns will have a major steal for years to come. Look for him to have similar stats as he did in 2020 and have a role as a rotational player, seeing playing time later in games when the Browns have big leads. There is a good chance that he will grow into the number one tight end and take Hooper’s place when his contract is up in a few years.

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