There’s been no playoffs for the Cleveland Browns since 2002 and no winning season since 2007. What numbers could be vital to ending those droughts?
There’s a lot of excitement these days surrounding a franchise that has struggled since re-entering the NFL 20 years ago. In 1999, the Cleveland Browns were re-born via expansion after three years of no professional football for the city. Of course, it’s been anything but a glorious stretch for an organization that has gone through its share of general managers, head coaches and starting quarterbacks.
Over the past 20 seasons, the Browns are a combined 95-224-1 dating back to 1999. It’s a team that finished 1-15 in 2016 and followed that up with a winless season one year later. There’s been only two winning campaigns over this stretch and the club hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2002 under then-head coach Butch Davis.
But the team added general manager John Dorsey in December of 2017. The respected talent evaluator has added plenty of talented pieces via free agency, trades and these past two drafts.
There’s suddenly star power with wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., promising quarterback Baker Mayfield and running back Nick Chubb and Pro Bowl defensive end Myles Garrett. This offseason’s newcomers include defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson and pass-rusher Olivier Vernon. The Browns came away with a 7-8-1 mark this past season.
So can the Browns post their first winning season since finishing 10-6 in 2007. Can the franchise end the longest-current playoff drought in the league? There’s a set of numbers that bear closer examination as Freddie Kitchens (the team’s 11th head coach in 1999) enter the season with high expectations.