Where Are Cleveland’s Biggest Improvements?
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
After the miraculous 2020 season, where first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski won NFL Coach of the Year and led the the Cleveland Browns to their first playoff victory since 1994, it’s been a slippery slope.
Then, the 2022 offseason was one to remember — perhaps more so than the season itself. All that off-field drama ultimately resulted in another sub-.500 season, with contentious new starting quarterback Deshaun Watson going 3-3 after his return from an 11-game suspension. The new era of winning Browns football would have to wait another year.
After the figurative false starts — to say nothing of the literal ones — there is some pressure on GM Andrew Berry to put out a winning product. He’s not likely in jeopardy of losing his job, barring the Browns posting a four-win season or something else dramatic and unexpected happening. (It’s the Browns, don’t discount every agonizing possibility.)
But, on paper, Berry has put together a strong team. This season should finally see his plans come to fruition. And though it’s a plan years in the making, some think the most recent roster moves could tip the scales in Cleveland not just towards winning, but consistently winning in 2023 and beyond.
Here are three key elements of the Browns that should see significant improvement from last year.
Defensive Coordinator
I refuse to slander Joe Woods as a coach, but he didn’t work out for the Cleveland Browns. He was a square peg trying to squeeze into a round hole with the scheme and roster he wanted to run.
One of the most frustrating things to watch last season was all the zone coverage with cornerbacks like Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome, who both thrive in man-to-man. The lack of creativity and blitzes to get Myles Garrett in one-on-one matchups was similarly tough to watch.
To be brutally honest, Jim Schwartz’s reputation to me is pompous and arrogant. I was never a huge fan. But when I heard he was hired as the new Browns defensive coordinator, I loved the signing.
Arrogant and pompous is what this unit needs. I’m not here to argue that Ward and Garrett aren’t elite NFL players for their position, but neither seems to play with a passion that inspires others.
Not only is Schwartz a strong X’s and O’s coach, his fiery personality will be contagious for this unit and bring out the best in them.
Safety
Perhaps the biggest signing this offseason was Juan Thornhill. He’s not the most talented safety in the NFL, but he fits the exact role that the Cleveland Browns were so desperate to fill. For what seems like a decade, the Browns have been looking for a true half-field safety, and they finally have one.
#Browns safety Juan Thornhill with the big play pic.twitter.com/HynqXnu5hV
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) July 30, 2023
John Johnson came from the Los Angeles Rams a few years back and was supposed to fill that void, but we quickly found out that covering a deep half was not his strong suit. Johnson had a ton of busted coverages early in 2022, making him an easy release before the start of the 2023 season.
Thornhill came at a bit of a discount, which has put a chip on his shoulder that should benefit the team. The three-year, $21 million contract isn’t small by any means, but some expected him to get closer to $30 million. This was a big win for Berry that could pay off twice.
Wide Receiver
The Cleveland Browns’ wide receiver room has been a disaster for quite a few years now. The Odell Beckham experiment fizzled out quickly, and fans were so quick to overvalue guys like Jarvis Landry (who was making elite No. 1 NFL wide receiver money) and Rashard Higgins.
Even more frustrating, the Browns finally have a strong WR1 and fans are hesitant to affirm his greatness. Have you watched the routes this guy runs?
For the first time in a while, this receiving corps will be very strong after the addition of Elijah Moore from the New York Jets this offseason. The Browns now have a legit No. 1 in Cooper and strong competition for the No. 2 and 3 spots from Donovan Peoples-Jones and Moore.
Not only does Moore bring more talent to the Browns’ roster, he fits specific team needs for a smaller, shiftier receiver who can get across the field and separate in man coverage.
With these three guys, plus David Bell and Cedric Tillman, you can expect Stefanski and the offense to throw the ball substantially more in 2023 season. Let’s just hope that offensive line holds up for him.
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