Just what are the Browns? Are they a team that will make a push for the playoffs? Or are they going to be the same old Browns they have always been and prove JuJu Smith-Schuster correct in his "The Browns is the Browns" statement? There isn't a team with any bigger question marks than this team, and the reasons are valid.
The Browns took a BIG swing at Deshaun Watson, trading away SIX draft picks to get him, and signed him to a five-year, $230 million, FULLY GUARANTEED contract. Although he is suspended for the first six games of this season, the NFL is appealing the suspension and is wanting a suspension of at least the entire 2022 season.
The acquisition of Watson visibly upset Baker Mayfield, who wanted out of the team after playing through the season on a torn labrum he suffered in Week 2. And the Browns have nobody to blame but themselves for this.
That's not because of the fact that they traded away Mayfield—that was the right move. But when their replacement is Watson, who hasn't played since the 2020 season and might not play this season, you better have a backup plan that doesn't include "trade your former first overall pick for only a conditional 5th round pick." And that's not to say that the Browns will pay Mayfield $8 million, with the Panthers paying him $5 million.
The best part of this saga? Mayfield has the chance to get his revenge in Week 1.
The QB position isn't even the Browns' glaring hole, however, but the question is if Jacoby Brissett can step up when Watson is serving a lengthy suspension. With the uncertainty facing Watson, they would likely want to lean towards their run game more heavily than usual, where they have averaged more than five yards per carry last season and still have Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
The pass catchers aren't all that attractive, considering that three of last year's starters aren't on their roster anymore (Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., and Austin Hooper). They added Amari Cooper to make up for the losses of Landry and OBJ, but that doesn't soften the blow enough. All eyes are on Donovan Peoples-Jones and David Njoku for a breakout season.
The defense should remain a top 10 unit, though questions are at defensive tackle where there is a mix of unproven players and Taven Bryan's one-dimensional game where he is a pass defender. He's not a bad addition, but he's not a threat on the run game.
Denzel Ward was given a nice extension of five years at $100.5 million, and he earned it. He was the only CB with three or more games with at least three passes defensed, and is now one of the best corners in the NFL.
John Johnson III, however, regressed. He was brought in to be the anchor of the secondary but underperformed in every category aside from interceptions.
Here, there are two scenarios for the Browns' offensive lineups: One where Watson is suspended for the season and one where Watson will return at some point this season given the looming uncertainty of the verdict of his suspension.
The Browns have the talent defensively to win games but with questions on offense and the possibility of Brissett playing all season, this could be the SOB (Same Old Browns) all over again.
Draft Picks
Round | Pick | Position | Player | College |
3 | 68 | CB | Martin Emerson | Mississippi State |
3 | 78 | DE | Alex Wright | UAB |
3 | 99 | WR | David Bell | Purdue |
4 | 108 | DT | Perrion Winfrey | Oklahoma |
4 | 124 | K | Cade York | LSU |
5 | 156 | RB | Jerome Ford | Cincinnati |
6 | 202 | WR | Michael Woods II | Oklahoma |
7 | 223 | DE | Isaiah Thomas | Oklahoma |
7 | 246 | C | Dawson Deaton | Texas Tech |
Key Losses
QB Baker Mayfield: Traded to Panthers
TE Austin Hooper: Cut, signed with Titans
C JC Tretter: Cut, unsigned free agent
WR Jarvis Landry: Cut, signed with Saints
CB Troy Hill: Traded to Rams
LB Mack Wilson: Traded to Patriots
WR Rashard Higgins: Signed with Panthers
QB Case Keenum: Traded to Bills
K Chase McLaughlin: Cut, unsigned free agent
FB Andy Janovich: Signed with Texans
S MJ Stewart Jr.: Signed with Teaxns
Key Additions & Extensions
QB Deshaun Watson (?): Acquired via trade from Texans
WR Amari Cooper: Acquired via trade from Cowboys
DE Jadeveon Clowney: 1-year extension, $11 million
LB Anthony Walker Jr.: 1-year extension
QB Jacoby Brissett: 1-year deal
WR Jakeem Grant Sr.: 3-year deal
RB D'Ernest Johnson: 1-year extension
DE Stephen Weatherly: 1-year deal
S Ronnie Harrison: 1-year extension
QB Josh Dobbs: 1-year deal, $1 million
C Ethan Pocic: 1-year deal
P Corey Bojorquez: 1-year deal
DT Sheldon Day: 1-year extension
Biggest Questions
How long will the Browns be without Deshaun Watson?
Will Jacoby Brissett step up in the absence of Watson?
What is to expect of Amari Cooper?
Can the defense still be a top 10 unit in the NFL?
Will anothe rWR or DT be signed before the start of the season?
Schedule
Week 1: Sunday, 9/11, at Carolina Panthers, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 2: Sunday, 9/18, vs. New York Jets, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 3: Thursday, 9/22, vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:15 PM on AMAZON PRIME
Week 4: Sunday, 10/2, at Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 5: Sunday, 10/9, vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 6: Sunday, 10/16, vs. New England Patriots, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 7: Sunday, 10/23, at Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 8: Monday, 10/31, vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 8:15 PM on ESPN
Week 9: BYE WEEK
Week 10: Sunday, 11/13, at Miami Dolphins, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 11: Sunday, 11/20, at Buffalo Bills, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 12: Sunday, 11/27, vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 PM on FOX
Week 13: Sunday, 12/4, at Houston Texans, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 14: Sunday, 12/11, at Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 15: 12/17 or 12/18, vs. Baltimore Ravens, Time and network TBD
Week 16: Saturday, 12/24, vs. New Orleans Saints, 1:00 PM on CBS
Week 17: Sunday, 1/1, at Washington Commanders, 1:00 PM on FOX
Week 18: 1/7 or 1/8, at Pittsburgh Steelers, Time and network TBD
Projected Starters
1 RB 3 WR 1 TE Offense
Position | # | Player |
QB | 4/7 | Deshaun Watson/Jacoby Brissett |
RB | 24 | Nick Chubb |
WR | 2 | Amari Cooper |
WR | 11 | Donovan Peoples-Jones |
WR | 18 | David Bell |
TE | 85 | David Njoku |
LT | 71 | Jedrick Wills Jr. |
LG | 75 | Joel Bitonio |
C | 53 | Nick Harris |
RG | 77 | Wyatt Teller |
RT | 78 | Jack Conklin |
Nickel Defense
Position | # | Player |
DE | 95 | Myles Garrett |
DT | 96 | Jordan Elliott |
DT | 99 | Taven Bryan |
DE | 90 | Jadeveon Clowney |
LB | 28 | Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah |
LB | 5 | Anthony Walker Jr. |
CB | 21 | Denzel Ward |
NB | 26 | Greedy Williams |
SS | 22 | Grant Delpit |
FS | 43 | John Johnson III |
CB | 20 | Greg Newsome II |
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