The New Cleveland Browns All Decades Team (1999-2020)
By Chad Porto
The Cleveland Browns haven’t been known for their talent-loaded rosters but there are more than enough players since 1999 to build an All-Decades team with.
With 2021 officially starting a new decade, it seemed like a good idea to close out the Cleveland Browns All-Decade Revival team. The 52 best players and three best coaches of the last 21 years, placed on the team to make up one superpower all-time great squad.
So here’s the basic gist of this list. It isn’t just about the biggest names or the best players. It’s about the best fits. How do I think X-player will do on this team and how will this team be able to use that player. Some very talented players won’t make the list for one reason or another, mostly because they’re problems. I’m going to build a team of 52 players, and I’ll throw a few names onto the practice squad.
Eventually, I’ll be doing an earnest All-Time team, dating back to the team’s first years and up until now. Also, there’s going to be the All Factory of Sadness-Team; made up of the talent that helped define the Factory of Sadness over the last 21 years.
So, who didn’t make the cut?
Not every obvious player made the cut and there’s a reason for that. If someone didn’t make the cut, it’s either because there was someone better, they’re a player who doesn’t bring something new, or they’re a player who has issues that warrant passing on them.
When you think of Odell Beckham Jr., you see a guy who’s constantly causing problems and drama no matter where he goes. Then you have Jamal Lewis who, while yes had a good year or two in Cleveland, wasn’t the same runner he was in Baltimore and had his own issues with the law. Speaking of those who had issues, we’re looking at you, Kellen Winslow. He’s serving a sentence for a rape charge and an assault and battery charge.
Then you have a former offensive guard and tackle in Ross Verba, who while never tried, had a history that followed him during his later years in Cleveland.
There are also the types of players who were good guys to the best of our knowledge and wasn’t a headache by any means but just wasn’t good enough or long enough to warrant a spot.