The Good

For several years now the Ravens wide receiver core was mediocre at best. They tried to address this in the draft but had more misses than hits. This past offseason they decided to address this position by bringing in Odell Beckham Jr. on a one-year contract. While OBJ may not be as explosive as he once was, he still has plenty left in the tank. He will want to prove his doubters wrong and will elevate the young wide receivers on this team. One of those being of course Rashod Bateman.

Bateman has shown that if he can stay healthy he can be the weapon the Ravens desperately need. The key of course is health as Bateman has yet to play a full season. Pairing him with OBJ and rookie Zay Flowers should finally give the Ravens a formidable wide receiver group. Add to that one of the best tight ends in the NFL in Mark Andrews and this offense will be tough to stop for opposing defenses.

The Bad

While it may be tough to find a glaring hole on the Ravens, one area of concern is the running back position. The Ravens will once again rely on J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill in their backfield. Dobbins may have come back too early from ACL injury in 2022 and he really wasn’t effective until late in the year. The hope is Dobbins is now fully healthy in 2023 and ready to take on the full-time role. Still, I would’ve liked to see the Ravens bring in a veteran to shake up this unit and provide insurance in case Dobbins goes down again.

The Prediction

The bottom line for the Baltimore Ravens is they will once again compete for the AFC North title and more. Getting Lamar Jackson back was obviously huge for their future success. Jackson finally has a legitimate wide receiver group to throw to and the defense will take another step forward. Expect the Ravens to finish 1st in the division and make a deep run in the 2023 NFL Playoffs.

2023 Record: 12-5

The post Baltimore Ravens Record Prediction for 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

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: Pat Pitts

Mini camps breathe life back into football fans. It gave us a sample of what to expect in 2021. Teams watched their rookies take the field for the first time. Sadly, it has come to a close. 

Kevin Stefanski and his staff watched their team take the field for the first time last week. Cleveland has not been talked about as much when it comes to their mini-camp. It seems like the spotlight has been taken from them, but it’s time to shine. 

After their first playoff appearance since 2007, the Browns found themselves nothcing a win against division rival, the Ravens. The new coaching and front office changes have turned the organization around 180 degrees. 

Mini-camp just gave the Dawg Pound a lot of excitement heading into training camp. Here is what they should be excited about. 

Baker stays in the moment; focused on the present.

The offseason has brought an excessive amount of drama to the league. Star players refusing to show up because of contract issues. Former players trash-talking their former team and head coach on social media. Even worse, the league’s MVP might walk away from football to replace another MVP in the world of game shows..  

Cleveland has been blessed with their franchise quarterback telling the media that he is not worried about a contract extension; he has his focus on winning a Super Bowl. Mayfield told reporters, “Everything happens for a reason. So I am just focused on winning,” according to USA Today. 

Mayfield has had a rollercoaster of a career, so far. He ranked as PFF’s 8th rated QB, finally cracking inside the top ten. OBJ returns to the field, giving Mayfield an elite target to throw to. His presence causes defenses to panic over which player to cover, eventually leaving someone open. The Browns offense looks loaded heading into training camp. 

OBJ returns at 100%

Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a season-ending ACL tear during a Week 7 matchup against the Bengals. It put a bow on the disappointing 2020 campaign OBJ was on. However, it is a new season. 

When healthy, OBJ ranks as one of the league’s top pass catchers. There is not a pass he cannot catch. According to Browns.com, OBJ returned to the field at nearly 100% on the first day of mini-camp, eventually ending the day by attempting his signature one-handed catches. 

Since 2014, Beckham has the best stats against the AFC North, averaging 128.8 YPG, and the only trails Julio Jones in total yards during the span, as well. It is not a question of if he will perform; it is a matter of when it will start. 

Rookies making an instant impact

The Cleveland Browns offense ranked 14th in 2020, according to PFF. However, their defense ranked 20th. They addressed the issue by drafting two players to upgrade the bottom-tier defense. The Browns selected Greg Newsome II with the 26th pick and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah with the 56th pick. Two players who can make an immediate impact. 

The duo showed up to mini-camp, impressing everyone on the coaching staff. Newsome caught the media’s attention after intercepting a pass while in the red zone during the 7v7 drills. He ran it back while the entire defense followed in celebration; the chemistry has begun to build. 

Koramoah impressed the coaching staff with his quickness during pass coverage. He ran alongside some of the fastest receivers in the offense. The former defensive back turned linebacker has the edge over some of the linebackers. Joe Woods, the defensive coordinator, spoke to the media after camp about other facets of the rookies’ game that isn’t externally shown. 

“Those guys are both very smart players,” Woods said. “They’re very competitive players; they just bring a different element to the team.”

The rookies are not the only upgrades to the underwhelming defense. The Browns attacked free agency methodically. They prioritized enhancing their biggest weakness. 

Playmakers added to the defense

The draft is not the only route to acquire new players. NFL free agency kicked off a month before the draft, but the Browns patiently waited to strike. The signed DB John Johnson and EDGE Jadaveon Clowney; two signings that give them the much-needed boost on defense. 

Greedy Williams has not played an entire season over the past two years. However, it is a new season with new opportunities. Williams spoke after camp about how he feels heading into the new season.

“It is a great feeling. I was just happy to be reunited with my team just going through drills with them,” Williams said. “It gives you the most happy moments.”

Williams returns to the defense lining up alongside Denzel Ward and John Johnson, giving the Browns top-tier talent to defend the pass. All three players are 25 years old or younger. 

Jadeveon Clowney made his first appearance in a Browns uniform at camp. Stefanski plans to utilize Clowney on the EDGE with Garrett on the other side. Clowney talked with the media after camp, expressing how he has enjoyed playing alongside another number one overall pick. 

“This is a good team,” Clowney told reporters. “They’re having a good time. They’re fun to be around. It’s a young team, so you all kind of get the idea of what I mean by everybody having a good time.” 

Football is fun; So is the Browns’ defense. 

Battle of the Backfield

Two running back systems do not have the most success over the years, but the Browns figured it out. The tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt gives opposing defenses nightmares. At mini-camp, the backfield grew in numbers

The Browns added two new ball carriers to the mix, drafting Demetric Felton with the 211th pick, then signing undrafted free agent Tre Harbinson. The backfield may be too crowded for all four players. 

Felton has been rumored to be in contention for a punt returner role, which would fit his skill set best. Felton could even become a full-time pass catcher too. Felton ran routes during camp, which gives him an opportunity to see the field sooner rather than later. Stefanski sees Felton’s potential and believes he could handle multiple roles on the offense. 

“It depends on the player, (but) if a guy can handle it, the more jobs you can teach him, the better chance they have to help your football team early.”

Stefanski continued to comment on how well Felton has adapted as a ball carrier, but also as a pass-catcher. 

It will be an interesting battle to watch at training camp. There is a possibility that Felton has the ability to handle both extremely well. He provides the offense with a safety net when it comes to depth. He should be a player on everyone’s watchlist heading into training camp. 

The Cleveland Browns have assembled a superstar-filled roster heading into the new season. Kevin Stefanski and Baker Mayfield have brought a new attitude and culture to a once lifeless franchise. Not only Mayfield but Chubb and Ward have spoken out about how they are not interested in talking contract extensions. 

Teams with that attitude, tend to be successful. The Browns are off to a great start. 

The post What did we learn at the Browns training camp? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.