The Browns have some lingering issues to resolve against the Chiefs
The Browns arguably had three big concerns after the end of last season. There are a lot of micro concerns, but we’re looking more or less at the macro of it all. The things that helped define, or limit the 2020 Cleveland Browns.
The team has taken huge steps in addressing all of these concerns in the offseason, for the most part (the ones they can), and the hope is this team is ready to go. Not just ready to go, but ready to chase down a Lombardi Trophy. This team was a solid linebacking corp from going to the AFC Championship game last year.
So there’s no reason to doubt their potential for a Super Bowl this year. This isn’t 2019. So what lingering questions still face the Browns after the offseason and preseason?
How improved is the defense?
It’s hard to get worse than the Cleveland Browns defense in 2020. Myles Garrett was the only real pass rusher they had, their best run stopper on the line, Porter Gustin, was the third end for most of the season. The linebackers were absolutely irrelevant and the secondary fell apart more often than an Erector Set built by a five-year-old.
They, hopefully, addressed every issue in the offseason by bringing in three new defensive line starters, two new starters at linebacker, and possibly two new defensive back starters. They did their job to make the team better in theory, now it’s on the players to prove they’re better in execution.
This will be answered quite quickly against the Kansas City Chiefs. Frankly, it doesn’t matter if the Browns defense destroys all other 13 teams they play besides the Chiefs. The Chiefs are the gatekeepers to the Super Bowl for Cleveland. If the team can’t beat them without knocking out Patrick Mahomes, then what’s the point?
Now, if the Browns lose to the Chiefs 21-20 or 24-20, ok, it just wasn’t the Browns’ day, but if they get rocked in a blowout, or lose/win in a massive shootout, then that’s going to be a problem. The team overhauled this side of the ball, and they need to produce.
Is everyone on offense healthy and ready to go?
I’m going to list every player that the Browns had in 2020 who was a core starter for the squad, that played in, and finished each game of the regular season and post-season. Ready?
J.C. Tretter.
Yup. The offense had injuries and issues across the board, at every level, and at every position. Even Baker Mayfield was pulled from the first seasonal encounter against the Steelers over concerns about his ribs. Admittedly, Mayfield should’ve probably missed a game or two to heal those ribs, but he soldiered on. Whether that was the right move or not is irrelevant at this point.
That’s the point though, and why Kevin Stefanski and the offensive coaches deserve to be among the most respected coaches in 2021, this was a team that was never truly healthy. The team really only played at full strength, what, three times? They were 2-1 in those three games, so that’s something to be excited about.
The offensive line and the receiving corp were the biggest culprits with their amass of injuries. Nick Chubb missed time, every tight end but Stephen Carlson missed time (the irony of his injury in 2021 isn’t lost on me).
Of all the listed offensive skilled players on Sports Reference, only Mayfield, Carlson, Kareem Hunt, D’Ernest Johnson, and Jamie Gillan played in all 16 games. Add in Tretter and that’s just seven players among all of the starters and backups. Keeping guys healthy is going to be imperative this year.
Getting out of the Chief’s game intact is crucial.
Can Baker Mayfield start off the season the way he ended last season?
Baker Mayfield‘s performance was very good. Was it elite-level quarterback play good? No, but then again, I think the NFL is very liberal with their use of the term “franchise quarterback”. It’s like the NBA referring to certain guys as “superstars” despite them being unable to pull a team to the next level on their own.
There’s only a handful, maybe six or seven real NBA “superstars” in the league. There are even fewer true “franchise quarterbacks” in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes is one of them, Tom Brady is still one, it’s fair to say Aaron Rodgers but then who else? Right now, Mayfield isn’t among that class of quarterbacks, but he’s a very good one and has the opportunity to thrust himself into that discussion, at least in my mind.
He has the talent to do so, what Mayfield has always lacked was consistency. That was largely not an issue in 2020. He did struggle against the Ravens, sure, but mitigating factors. Then he hurt his ribs and struggled again, due to mitigating circumstances. Then there were the bad weather games, but outside of the first game, there was no game where the weather was tolerable and he was healthy where he truly played poorly.
If he had the season he had in 2020 in 2019, everyone would be ready to anoint him the next great player in the league at his position. The problem is, 2019’s season was filled with just erratic and inconsistent play. So now people are wondering who the real Mayfield is?
More than likely it’s the guy from 2018/2020, with a gunslinger’s arm but a coach’s brain. A cross between Brett Favre and Peyton Manning, though not as slinger-y as Favre or as intuitive as Manning. A hybrid of the two. He’ll be able to showcase all of that against the Chiefs.
At least, that’s what we’re hoping for. If Mayfield goes all out against the Chiefs and dog-walks their defense, he’ll silence critics. Well, most of them, until Colin Cowherd needs to start a new controversy to get people hate-watching his show again.