2007 Outlook:

Fans in Cleveland are still buzzing over the recent NFL draft that potentially brought them franchise players at both the left tackle and quarterback positions with Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn. GM Phil Savage showed why he’s known around the league for being a top-flight team builder as he continues to construct a core nucleus of young talent. The Browns also brought in two high-profile free agents in running back Jamal Lewis and offensive lineman Eric Steinbach. These two players will fill positions of need and they also happen to have both played for division rivals last year (Baltimore & Cincinnati). While the building blocks are taking shape, the reality of the situation though is that Cleveland still has a lot of holes to fill. They may have had the best offseason of all the teams in their division, but it’s still unreasonable to think that they’ll surpass Baltimore, Cincinnati, or Pittsburgh for AFC North supremacy. The Browns lost all six games against divisional foes last year, so picking up a few wins within the division would be a step in the right direction for the Dawgs.

2007 Draft Review:

Experts throughout the football world are praising the Browns’ draft, and so too will I. Offensive tackle Joe Thomas was a solid pick at #3 overall and it showed that the Cleveland brain trust understands the fact that the offensive line has been atrocious since their rebirth to the NFL in 1999. Taking Brady Quinn with the 22nd overall pick was another tremendous move as it gives them a quarterback of the future. They gave up a 1st round pick next year to get him, but if he pans out it’ll be all worth it. CB Eric Wright (2nd round) will fill a much-needed hole in the secondary and could be another steal for the Brownies, since he has 1st round talent despite his character issues. The second-day draft picks were all attempts to fill additional needs and time will tell with those guys. Draft Grade: A

Key Acquisition:

For the second straight year, Cleveland went out and got the best offensive lineman available in free agency. This offseason they acquired Eric Steinbach, snatching him away from the Cincinnati Bengals. Beefing up the offensive line will help all facets of the Browns’ offense. The running backs will have bigger holes to run through and the quarterback will have more time in the pocket to find Kellen Winslow and company.

Key Departure:

Should running back Jamal Lewis struggle or fall victim to a serious injury, critics will immediately point to the trade of incumbent back Reuben Droughns, who’s now with the New York Giants. Droughns was a 1,000 yard back two years ago with the Browns, but they decided to trade him instead of paying him a roster bonus.

Offensive Preview:

The offensive line now appears to be the strength of the offense. First round draft pick Joe Thomas will enter the fray as the left tackle and immediately to his right will be newly acquired left guard Eric Steinbach. Hank Fraley re-signed to play under center for another season as well. Behind him to start the season will most likely be last year’s starting quarterback, Charlie Frye. Third-year pro Frye will be looked upon to steer the ship until Brady Quinn is ready to take control. There will be a new workhorse carrying the load in the backfield as well in former Raven Jamal Lewis. He’ll be looking to regain his prior Pro Bowl form and he’ll get plenty of opportunities with a shallow depth chart at running back. The one constant for the offense will be the receiving corp led by Kellen Winslow Jr. at tight end and wide receiver Braylon Edwards.

Defensive/Special Teams Preview:

Romeo Crennel will have the defense playing in the 3-4 scheme for the third straight season. Like the rest of the team, the defense was not particularly successful last season and they also had major issues with injuries. They were anchored by a solid linebacking corp of MLB Andra Davis, OLB Kamerion Wimbley, and OLB Willy McGinest. The defensive line was old and the secondary was depleted by injuries at the cornerback spot. The good news is that Phil Savage brought in several role players through free agency to help out. Furthermore, the Browns picked up a talented CB in the draft with Eric Wright. After connecting on 93% of his field goals in 2005, kicker Phil Dawson struggled last season by making only 21 out of 29 field goal attempts. Dawson has made 82% of his career field goal attempts, so expect him to rebound in ’07. The other major question mark on special teams involves who will be returning punts. That role previously belonged to departed Dennis Northcutt. The Browns used their final pick in the draft on return specialist Syndric Steptoe and have indicated that the job belongs to the player that steps up in training camp.

Season Prediction:

The Browns are a much better team than they were last season, but they still have a long way to go. While you can’t totally rule out the playoffs this early (as we saw with the Saints last year), this team really struggles against divisional foes and until that changes the Browns will remain in the AFC North cellar. Cleveland should improve enough to help Crennel keep his job, but a truly successful season for them would be to finish at .500.

Projected Finish

7 Wins, 9 Losses (4th in the AFC North)