Eight Disappointments Haunting The Cleveland Browns Entering Week 1

Aug 9, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Miles Austin (19) is tripped up by Detroit Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead (59) after making a catch during the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Ignoring the WR position

The Browns knew before the draft that Josh Gordon was facing a major suspension, yet ignored the wide receiver position. Ray Farmer stuck to his draft board and took some solid players who can help right away, but it hasn’t made life easy for the quarterbacks, no matter who’s throwing the ball.

Miles Austin will be No. 1  on the depth chart going into the season, but the rest of the receiving corps. will have some major height disadvantages.

Farmer tried to patch this problem through free agency, but that hasn’t worked out. Earl Bennett never made it to camp; Anthony Armstrong looked like a player who hadn’t seen the field in a year and Nate Burleson could only muster up one healthy preseason game.

Remember, after the draft Farmer didn’t have a major sense of urgency about addressing the need. He said there were other ways to address the problem. Unless LaRon Byrd, who was signed after being cut by Cowboys, can be a dependable threat, the rookie GM failed in fixing this mega-problem.