Are the Browns a Legit Playoff Contender?

[Jikkle]

I can see them winning around 6 games but tough to see them making the playoffs. It's an improved roster for sure but it was a roster that didn't win a single game last season so going from 0 wins to the 8+ you'll need to make the playoffs is a bit of a stretch.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Their starting QB got to the playoffs last year, and with a worse team...

Nothing about Tyrod Taylor excites me. If he was worth anything Buffalo wouldn't have let him walk.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

I mean after all these years of top draft picks it's gotta translate into something! Right?

So my vote is no, they'll still suck.

 

[huskers1217]

No sarcasm whatsoever. Assuming health - for all teams - are the Browns a potential playoff contender? It's difficult to think not at this point. Put this lineup in any other teams jerseys and you're likely predicting at least 8-9 wins:

QB: Tyrod Taylor/Baker Mayfield
RB: Nick Chubb/Carlos Hyde/Duke Johnson
WR: Josh Gordon/Jarvis Landry/Antonio Calloway/Corey Coleman
TE: David Njoku/Seth Devalve
OT: Chris Hubbard/Austin Corbett/Shon Coleman
OG: Kevin Zeitler/Joel Bitonio
C: JC Tretter

DE: Myles Garrett/Emmanuel Ogbah/Nate Orchard/Chad Thomas
DT: Larry Ogunjobi/Trevon Coley/Trent Thompson/Caleb Brantley
LB: Jamie Collins/Mychal Kendricks/Christian Kirksey/Joe Schobert
CB: EJ Gaines/TJ Currie/Denzel Ward/Briean Boddy-Calhoun
S: Demarious Randall/Julius Peppers/Derrick Kindred

There really isn't any position group that is necessarily a glaring weakness. Losing Joe Thomas will hurt, but otherwise, they've made drastic wholesale changes to every position group.

Other than "because they're the Browns", is there any actual legit reason to think this team isn't a playoff contender?

I said months before the draft, this place was an easy sell to Kirk Cousins...

 

[Across The Field]

Nothing about Tyrod Taylor excites me. If he was worth anything Buffalo wouldn't have let him walk.

His low turnover rate is one thing. That alone would've won Cleveland 4-5 games last year. His 18 total TD to 4 total TO ratio last year would be the best any Browns QB has put up in ages.

The one season he had a healthy Sammy Watkins, he averaged over 8 YPA and had 20 TD passes to 6 INTs. Another line a Browns QB hasn't had for as long as I can remember.

Buffalo let him walk because of a new regime. It's pretty common. Nick Foles and Case Keenum are just two examples of QBs that were let go of and thought nothing of only to come into the right system and put up fantastic results.

 

[Across The Field]

I said months before the draft, this place was an easy sell to Kirk Cousins...

Yeah that wouldn't have been awful, but I can't say I'm not more excited about Baker's future.

 

[Uhsplit]

No. The team needs to win some games looking and be over .500 to be considered a potential playoff team.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Well they made some bad choices at QB again. TTis is a QB driven league neither Taylor or Mayfield are the answer. The Steelers will win that division so we are talking wildcard at best. I just don't see it this year with those QBs and their coach. So NO!

 

[Across The Field]

Well they made some bad choices at QB again. TTis is a QB driven league neither Taylor or Mayfield are the answer. The Steelers will win that division so we are talking wildcard at best. I just don't see it this year with those QBs and their coach. So NO!

Yeah, Taylor led Buffalo to the playoffs last year and their roster wasn't nearly as talented as Cleveland, so that's not correct. Also, you have no idea on Mayfield or why he's not the answer.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

No sarcasm whatsoever. Assuming health - for all teams - are the Browns a potential playoff contender? It's difficult to think not at this point. Put this lineup in any other teams jerseys and you're likely predicting at least 8-9 wins:

QB: Tyrod Taylor/Baker Mayfield
RB: Nick Chubb/Carlos Hyde/Duke Johnson
WR: Josh Gordon/Jarvis Landry/Antonio Calloway/Corey Coleman
TE: David Njoku/Seth Devalve
OT: Chris Hubbard/Austin Corbett/Shon Coleman
OG: Kevin Zeitler/Joel Bitonio
C: JC Tretter

DE: Myles Garrett/Emmanuel Ogbah/Nate Orchard/Chad Thomas
DT: Larry Ogunjobi/Trevon Coley/Trent Thompson/Caleb Brantley
LB: Jamie Collins/Mychal Kendricks/Christian Kirksey/Joe Schobert
CB: EJ Gaines/TJ Currie/Denzel Ward/Briean Boddy-Calhoun
S: Demarious Randall/Julius Peppers/Derrick Kindred

There really isn't any position group that is necessarily a glaring weakness. Losing Joe Thomas will hurt, but otherwise, they've made drastic wholesale changes to every position group.

Other than "because they're the Browns", is there any actual legit reason to think this team isn't a playoff contender?

IMO...no.

Football teams in general need reps together in real games to really know each other...what that guy next to you can and cannot do under fire.

The AFC is not loaded with stacked teams so I wouldn't bet the mortgage money on them not making it, but they have too many new pieces imo to pull it together on a playoff level.

Top side 9 wins, but my # is still in the 6-7 win range.

 

[Wamu]

No sarcasm whatsoever. Assuming health - for all teams - are the Browns a potential playoff contender? It's difficult to think not at this point. Put this lineup in any other teams jerseys and you're likely predicting at least 8-9 wins:

QB: Tyrod Taylor/Baker Mayfield
RB: Nick Chubb/Carlos Hyde/Duke Johnson
WR: Josh Gordon/Jarvis Landry/Antonio Calloway/Corey Coleman
TE: David Njoku/Seth Devalve
OT: Chris Hubbard/Austin Corbett/Shon Coleman
OG: Kevin Zeitler/Joel Bitonio
C: JC Tretter

DE: Myles Garrett/Emmanuel Ogbah/Nate Orchard/Chad Thomas
DT: Larry Ogunjobi/Trevon Coley/Trent Thompson/Caleb Brantley
LB: Jamie Collins/Mychal Kendricks/Christian Kirksey/Joe Schobert
CB: EJ Gaines/TJ Currie/Denzel Ward/Briean Boddy-Calhoun
S: Demarious Randall/Julius Peppers/Derrick Kindred

There really isn't any position group that is necessarily a glaring weakness. Losing Joe Thomas will hurt, but otherwise, they've made drastic wholesale changes to every position group.

Other than "because they're the Browns", is there any actual legit reason to think this team isn't a playoff contender?

Are the Browns a potential playoff contender?



They are 1-31 combined in the last 2 years. Instead of thinking playoffs how about winning 5 games in a season & build on that? They aren't going to turn things around enough this year. But possibly could take a step in the right direction. Which is what I'm hoping.

 

[Across The Field]

Are the Browns a potential playoff contender?

View attachment 180887

They are 1-31 combined in the last 2 years. Instead of thinking playoffs how about winning 5 games in a season & build on that? They aren't going to turn things around enough this year. But possibly could take a step in the right direction. Which is what I'm hoping.

I don't think you really read through my initial post then. The team has cut almost all of the shit weight and added arguably more talent than any team in the NFL at crucial positions. The last two years, IMO, mean nothing at all considering how almost entirely different the team is. The only bearing those two years have on this years team is if Hue is legitimately just that bad of a coach, which is hard to tell right now considering the steaming shit piles he's had for rosters the last two years. If he is that bad, though, I think 5 wins is probably most likely.

 

[Wamu]

I don't think you really read through my initial post then. The team has cut almost all of the shit weight and added arguably more talent than any team in the NFL at crucial positions. The last two years, IMO, mean nothing at all considering how almost entirely different the team is. The only bearing those two years have on this years team is if Hue is legitimately just that bad of a coach, which is hard to tell right now considering the steaming shit piles he's had for rosters the last two years. If he is that bad, though, I think 5 wins is probably most likely.

You're correct, I didn't read your entire post. My bad. All I can say is I like your optimism & I hope they have a surprisingly good season.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Yeah, Taylor led Buffalo to the playoffs last year and their roster wasn't nearly as talented as Cleveland, so that's not correct. Also, you have no idea on Mayfield or why he's not the answer.

Sure Skippy. Good Luck

 

[YankeeRebel]

Look Taylor and the Bills could never get past Brady and the Pats and he won't get past Ben and the Steelers which is why I said wildcard at best, but with the lack a of a quality QB and shitty coaching I don't see the wildcard. And yeah I absolutely think they fucked up with the Mayfield pick, but that is a Browns type move anyway.

 

[Across The Field]

Sure Skippy. Good Luck

Excellent point, great contribution.

 

[Across The Field]

Look Taylor and the Bills could never get past Brady and the Pats and he won't get past Ben and the Steelers which is why I said wildcard at best, but with the lack a of a quality QB and shitty coaching I don't see the wildcard. And yeah I absolutely think they fucked up with the Mayfield pick, but that is a Browns type move anyway.

I've never once said I expect Cleveland to definitely win the division, I've said possibly compete for the playoffs. Compete doesn't mean is absolutely in, I mean they're going to compete.

Ben and the Steelers might not be what they've been in recent years. They lost their OC, Ben is yet another year older and the injuries keep mounting up, and there's not much behind him. AB and Bell are still monsters, sure, but they're far from a lock to be the 12-4 team or whatever sort of record they're accustomed to in 2018.

That means nothing when you just say "they fucked up the Mayfield pick" with no context or demonstration of understanding, especially considering your Patriots were enamored with him as well.

 

[YankeeRebel]

I've never once said I expect Cleveland to definitely win the division, I've said possibly compete for the playoffs. Compete doesn't mean is absolutely in, I mean they're going to compete.

Ben and the Steelers might not be what they've been in recent years. They lost their OC, Ben is yet another year older and the injuries keep mounting up, and there's not much behind him. AB and Bell are still monsters, sure, but they're far from a lock to be the 12-4 team or whatever sort of record they're accustomed to in 2018.

That means nothing when you just say "they fucked up the Mayfield pick" with no context or demonstration of understanding, especially considering your Patriots were enamored with him as well.

Well fuck they COMPETED the last two years, way to toss out a generic word and hope it sticks.

It comes down to are they better than the Steelers. No

Could they get a wildcard possibly but no likely with sub par coaching and QBS. How is that hard to follow?

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Look Taylor and the Bills could never get past Brady and the Pats and he won't get past Ben and the Steelers which is why I said wildcard at best, but with the lack a of a quality QB and shitty coaching I don't see the wildcard. And yeah I absolutely think they fucked up with the Mayfield pick, but that is a Browns type move anyway.

ATF is reasonable to a degree, but you have to admire his optimism...just glancing at their road schedule...maybe Tampa, maybe CIN if they don't have their shit together. I really think 5 or 6 wins is a good season. I will say this...I think the days of circling a couple of Ws vs the Browns in the summer needs to change....you better be ready to play.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I've never once said I expect Cleveland to definitely win the division, I've said possibly compete for the playoffs. Compete doesn't mean is absolutely in, I mean they're going to compete.

Ben and the Steelers might not be what they've been in recent years. They lost their OC, Ben is yet another year older and the injuries keep mounting up, and there's not much behind him. AB and Bell are still monsters, sure, but they're far from a lock to be the 12-4 team or whatever sort of record they're accustomed to in 2018.

That means nothing when you just say "they fucked up the Mayfield pick" with no context or demonstration of understanding, especially considering your Patriots were enamored with him as well.

I think they're no worse than LY as a team...the big question is will they be any better. Recordwise...10-6 to 12-4 is the range I would give them. Ben wanted Haley out so he got his wishes with his mostly handpicked OC (the former QB coach).