Cleveland Browns: Do They Have a Plan?
The Cleveland Browns find themselves in a very familiar position once again. Picking high in the first round of the NFL draft.
It’s become a tradition that the Cleveland Browns could rather do without.
Losing.
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Since finishing with a 10-6 record in 2007 and just missing the playoffs (thanks in part to a terrific season from quarterback Derek Anderson), the franchise is a combined 37-91 the past eight seasons. In seven of those campaigns, the franchise has lost at least 11 games.
Some will recall that in 2014 the Browns were in the thick of the playoff race and a possible AFC North title after opening the season 7-4. The club is a combined 3-18 since and now former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson becomes the franchise’s ninth head coach since the team reappeared in 1999 as an expansion franchise.
Continuity has been a factor lacking with the Browns. Along with a new head coach, Cleveland has trotted out 24 different starting quarterbacks the last 17 seasons. The organization just parted ways with controversial Johnny Manziel, a first-round pick in 2014. And the team is in a division where head coaches such as Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis (2003), Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin (2007) and Baltimore’s John Harbaugh (2008) have all been on the job at least eight seasons with their current clubs.
It’s not like this club has had much success in the draft. Last year’s first-round picks, defensive tackle Danny Shelton and guard/center Cameron Erving, had their ups and downs as expected as rookies. The Browns have taken eight players in the first round the past five years and performers such as Manziel, running back Trent Richardson (2012), quarterback Brandon Weeden (2012) and defensive tackle Phil Taylor (2011) are no longer with the club.
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Of course, it doesn’t seem like much of anyone is still with the club. Center Alex Mack, right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, wide receiver Travis Benjamin and free safety Tashaun Gipson were among those who left via free agency. The list of veterans cut loose include inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, defensive tackle Randy Starks and wideout Dwayne Bowe.
Jackson and the organization have landed a pair of defensive additions in inside linebacker Demario Davis (New York Jets) and safety (Houston Texans) but for the most part, the club has been very quiet. Pat McManamon of ESPN reports that the Browns just wrapped up a two-day visit with quarterback Robert Griffin III, released by the Washington Redskins earlier this month.
Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has the latest on earlier rumors regarding the team being in the running to trade for San Francisco 49ers signal-caller Colin Kaepernick (although that talk has died down considerably).
So as player leave and the Browns do little when it comes to replacing them, conventional wisdom tells us that the club plans on utilizing the draft to rebuild the club. The Browns own the second overall pick and the 32nd selection (first choice in the second round), as well as eight other picks, including a pair of fourth-rounders and three fifth-round selections thank to the compensatory picks they were awarded.
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Given the offseason exodus, this is a club that could go a lot of different directions in late April and certainly help themselves.
Now if the Browns could only find a formula that would have them headed upwards.