NFL record predictions for the 2018 regular season
By Ian Cummings
Cleveland Browns
Don’t look now, but the Cleveland Browns are legitimately building a good team.
Of course, no team can truly contend without good coaching, and Hue Jackson has drawn plenty of ire over his first two years with the Browns. Much of that is deserved. The former offensive coordinator has been stubborn with his style, refusing to bend to the skill set of his quarterback. Hopefully, with Baker Mayfield, that will change. Jackson has had success before, albeit as a coordinator. After amassing a 1-31 record in his fist two seasons, he has plenty to prove. Perhaps the most of all.
Adding another personality like Todd Haley to the coaching staff doesn’t seem like a smart move, but coaching aside, the Browns are building a roster that could very well contend in the near future. The offense has the necessary skill players to churn out yards, the offensive line has the depth to withstand attrition, even without Joe Thomas, and Baker Mayfield has the ability to produce, even when all the odds are against him.
Defensively, the Browns’ front seven is secretly very good, and perhaps one of the better position groups in the NFL. Seeing the Browns lining up Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi, Caleb Brantley, and Emmanuel Ogbah should be a welcome sight for fans, and behind those players, Trevon Coley, Jamie Meder, Trenton Thompson, Carl Nassib, Genard Avery, and Nate Orchard provide immense depth and rotational value.
The Browns have Jamie Collins and Joe Schobert patrolling the middle. Both are talented players who succeed in different ways. Collins relies a bit too much on natural talents, but those talents alone provide value to a young, ascending defense, and Schubert, who made the Pro Bowl last year, is an incredibly nuanced player who uses his all-around solid skill set to make an impact. Combine these two with Christian Kirksey, and you have a fairly solid second level.
The Browns could use some work in the secondary, but No. 4 overall pick Denzel Ward helps immediately at cornerback, and the team made a point out of infusing depth there this offseason. The word “success” hasn’t often been snynonymous with “Browns” in recent years. But times are changing. And while it might take a coaching change to get the team over the hump, the Browns can get to 9-7 with all the talent they have.