The Cleveland Browns don’t need to cut or trade their entire roster to rebuild their brand’s legacy, they just need to make sure these seven stay.
The Cleveland Browns have a perception issue that needs to change before the quality of the play does. Talent who can’t be relied upon will always be problematic for the franchise. You don’t need to deal with these types to win. That’s just a simple fact. So getting rid of a few bad eggs has to happen. Saying that, you can’t just let everyone go, you need to identify talent that can help move things forward.
The Browns have seven playmakers and standout players that need to remain on the team. That’s not to say that all seven players have behaved perfectly. Some players need to prove their worth and should be given that chance. Others provide a fire that helps the team rally, while some others just provide valuable leadership.
Retaining certain players is a must. Not everyone on this list is on the chopping block nor are they being shopped around. At least not yet or that we’re aware of. These are simply the seven players that would benefit the franchise if they used them as the building blocks to an eventual winner in Cleveland.
The city hasn’t been to the NFL playoffs since 2002 and the hope is that Kevin Stefanski and the new Browns management can help the team finally get past that hump going forward. With that, let’s look at the seven players the team needs to build around heading into the 2020 season.
#7 – OL J.C. Tretter
The center of the offensive is in good hands with J.C. Tretter. Not on the level of Alex Mack or Shaun O’Hare in terms of talent but Tretter has shown to be a reliable and persistent force in the middle of the offensive line.
Tretter came to the Browns in 2017 from Green Bay on a three-year deal, worth $16.75 million and earned every bit of it. During Tretter’s run as the center of the offensive line, the running game has taken off and been the centerpiece of the offense. Finally, with a consistent rushing attack, the team took it’s best steps forwards in years. Despite a disastrous 2019, the team still won 13 games over two seasons, a rarity for the franchise since returning in 1999 and a much-improved record to the team’s 1-31 over two years during the 2015-2016 seasons.
Tretter has gone on to become one of the two best parts of an otherwise dismal offensive line. This was evident when the Browns gave Tretter a three-year extension that will keep the stalwart in a Browns uniform until at least 2022. His salary went up from $16.75 to $32.5 and it’s hard to deny he hasn’t earned the pay raise.
The team needs to build around him and Joel Bitonio if the team is going to continue to thrive but with those two anchoring the running game. Tretter will be entering his fourth year with the team, and his third as the center for Baker Mayfield. His experience working with Aaron Rodgers, and the previous three head coaches on the Browns give Tretter a lot of insight in how to run the offensive line and it’s blocking schemes. He’s intelligent and adaptable and that’s going to be important with a run-first offense for the 2020 season.
#6- QB Baker Mayfield
There are some fools who think the Browns should give up on Baker Mayfield because he threw a bunch of interceptions this year. That, as was stated originally, is a foolish take. Mayfield played in a poor offense, with a limited amount of passing options. Both of his “star” wide receivers were injured throughout the entire course of the season, making them ineffective and at times liability on the field.
There were no slot receivers, no backup receivers, no tight ends and a poor offensive line. All this made worse by a head coach who constantly abandoned game plans. Is it any wonder Mayfield tried to force plays to happen? Outside of Nick Chubb, who else was going to step up? Jarvis Landry tried, but as we know now, he had a terrible hip that bothered him throughout the season. So yes, Mayfield forced plays, but let’s not pretend that he’s ‘garbage’ as some of have stated.
Mayfield is the first Browns player to throw back to back 20 touchdown seasons since Brian Sipe in the 1979 and 1980 seasons. That was 40 years ago. For 40 years no Browns quarterback had two consecutive 20 touchdown seasons. To be even more clear, NO BROWNS QUARTERBACK since Sipe has thrown 20 touchdowns twice in their Browns career. There is absolutely no need to move on from Mayfield, he’s the quarterback of the future. He just has to get some help and a head coach who can stay consistent. New Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski should help with that.
Mayfield clearly needs to cut down on his turnovers, which will happen with healthy options at wide receiver, an improved offensive line, and improved tight ends. If Mayfield is tossing 30 interceptions with a better all-around offense around him, sure, we can look at what’s available. Just remember, though, that Drew Brees regressed in his THIRD season in the NFL and he turned out alright.
#5- DT Larry Ogunjobi
The defensive line has some hope with the edge-rushing Myles Garrett and the run-stuffing center of the line, Larry Ogunjobi. Since being drafted in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Ogunjobi has been a pleasant surprise for the team. A good tackler who can fill the center of any offensive line to swallow gaps, Ogunjobi has shown to be reliable, healthy and consistent. He’s not on his way to becoming Aaron Donald or Warren Sapp but with his size, versatility, and quickness, Ogunjobi could be part of this team regardless of what defense they run.
New defensive coordinator Joe Woods has indicated the defense is moving from the base 4-2 disaster that the Browns ran last year back to a more traditional 4-3. With Woods coming over from the 49ers, who ran the fourth-lowest number of defensive blitz’s in the league, it’s obvious that a player like Ogunjobi is going to be valuable for the team. He’ll become a quick favorite of defensive line coach Chris Kiffin, as Kiffin seeks to implement the proper technique into the defensive line in order to better utilize their pass-rushing capabilities.
As Kiffin is the son of famed defensive coaching icon Monty Kiffin, one of the things that Chris will bring is how to properly shed pass blockers without needing a blitz package to free up a player. This will hopefully be something Ogunjobi can benefit from.
#4 – CB Denzel Ward
Denzel Ward was taken with the fourth draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft that has proven to be filled with all sorts of impressive defensive talents. Taken in front of Bradley Chubb, Quenton Nelson, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Tremaine Edmunds, Derwin James, and Leighton Vander Esch, Ward has already been to the Pro Bowl but has at times struggled with the inconsistency of the team’s defensive schemes.
Ward is still young and has plenty of upsides. He’s a big long corner, at nearly six feet, who’s also fast as heck, clocking in at a 4.32 40-yard dash. Ward has shown to have blown some assignments and has had a bit of a struggle to adjust to the changing schemes each new head coach brings in with him. The biggest issue though is that Ward has found himself unable to completely stay healthy. In two years he’s already missed seven games. As he gets older, injuries will only happen more frequently and he’ll need to prove he can stay healthy if he wants to be around long term.
Ward has struggled at times in coverage, but hopefully, some improvements along the defensive line will help the pass rush, which will take care of some of the coverage issues. Some help over the top would be good too, as his running mate was expected to be Jabrill Peppers, but he was shipped off in that now ill-advised trade with the New York Giants.
With the development of Greedy Williams next to him, and hopefully a new crop of safeties behind him, Ward should develop into the player we all hoped he could be.
#3 – RB Nick Chubb
The Browns have never had a problem getting running backs. Since coming back in 1999, the Browns have had eight seasons who have broken 900 yards in a given season. While the likes of Trent Richardson, Isaiah Crowell, Jamal Lewis, Peyton Hillis, and Reuben Droughns don’t make too many Browns fans exactly giddy the fact is that Nick Chubb dwarfs them all.
Chubb has already had two of the top 26 rushing performances in Browns history. His 2018 campaign saw him amass 996 yards and eight touchdowns. It would’ve been 1,000 yards but he was tackled for a loss near the end of the final game after he already passed the 1,000-yard mark. In 2019 he had an even better year, nearly cracking 1,5000 yards (1,494 yards) and scored another eight touchdowns and did so averaging five yards a carry.
Chubb is clearly the centerpiece of what the Browns want to do in 2020. The focus is going to be similar to what Stefanski and company did in Minnesota, where they set up the play action pass through a steady diet of running the ball. The team will need to have several impact runners, but none more needed than Chubb. Mayfield’s progression as a quarterback will be dependent on how honest the opposing team’s defense treats the rushing attack of the Browns.
If the team has another rushing attack like they did in 2019, then Mayfield should be much better off. Hopefully, this will allow the Browns to be no longer dependent on forcing passes and trying to make plays where none exists. Chubb and the offense should easily churn out five yards a carry and dominate the point of attack for an entire game with this new offense.
#2 – OL Joel Bitonio
The offense is going be lead in part by Joel Bitonio. Easily the third-best lineman to be part of the Cleveland Browns since 1999. He’s only slightly behind perennial Pro Bowler Alex Mack, and both men are looking way up at the greatest left tackle in NFL history in Joe Thomas. To even be in that grouping though shows you how good the 28-year-old guard has become.
Already a two-time Pro Bowler, the former product of Nevada University has shown to be an excellent blocker in both the running game and the passing attack. He’s nimble left to right, which allows him to seal off pass rushers, as well as having the bullish strength to get defensive tackles off their feet in the running game.
Bitonio came out of that disastrous 2014 NFL Draft for the Browns that saw the team pick cornerback bust Justin Gilbert at number eight overall, and quarterback bust Johnny Manziel at the 22nd pick; both in the first round. Bitonio was picked 35th overall in the second round. Linebacker Christian Kirksey, who if healthy should be another name to consider for this list, and running back Terrence West was also part of that 2014 Draft class.
Since that Draft nearly six years ago, Bitonio has become a stalwart on the line. Performing consistently each and every week, making him a viable and extremely important piece of the team moving into 2020. In order to get this team over the hump, the front office will need to ensure that Bitonio has help on his left.
Here’s hoping the team can get to the playoffs so another great offensive lineman doesn’t get screwed out of playing in the postseason.
#1 – LB Joe Schobert
If you’ve read these types of posts, you shouldn’t be surprised. Here’s the truth about Joe Schobert, he’s a great tackler at the point of contact. He struggled the second half of last year because the team didn’t have any pressure from the front four. Pressure is important so linebackers aren’t dealing with huge hulking offensive guards all game. Something Schobert was faced with consistently after Myles Garrett got suspended. The team also played a two linebacker defense nearly ninety percent of the time, forcing Schobert to play out of position a lot of the games.
Schobert, however, showed he was amazing in the pass defense. With the team moving to a defense similar to the Cover 2, where the front four have the onus of pushing the pressure all game, you need three linebackers who can play the flats and center of the field. Schobert, either inside or out, can be that type of linebacker. If you upgrade the front four and add some depth to it, the issues with tackling that the team had last year should be largely taken care of with a few roster additions.
Schobert will also be helped out by having a third linebacker on the field with him. If the Browns stick with Christian Kirksey and Mack Wilson at the other linebacker spots, the team should have all the tackling you could ask for at the linebacker level.
For those deadset on letting him walk, you’re just wrong. There isn’t a better option available to replace him, and if you have to pay him an extra million or two to get him back, then do it. He’s literally the perfect linebacker for the team’s new defense and you won’t be able to get anywhere close to the talent back if you were to let him go and look at free agency or the draft to fill his spot.