Friday, July 22, 2005
2005 NFL Preview: Cleveland Browns
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Last Year
Questioning Jeff Garcia's sexuality, threatening to decapitate opposing quarterbacks, and shipments of Pepto-Bismol all factored into making the Cleveland Browns the laughing stock of 2004. The stress swelled between the temples of head coach Butch Davis as he resigned after Week 12 — conveniently right before a meeting with the Super Bowl champs. The Browns have made an effort to clean up their off-the-field problems, which is a step in the right direction, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will translate into on-field success.
What We Learned From Last Year
Finding something good off of the Browns 2004 squad is like trying to find Dave Chappelle in South Africa.
I'm not trying to compete with Buck Nasty, Pit Bull, and Silky Johnston for the Playa Hater of the Year award, I'm just telling it like it is.
Jeff Garcia, who signed as a free agent, was supposed to solidify the quarterback position after years of inconsistency between Tim Couch and Kelly Holcomb, but he came in and posted career-lows in completion percentage, quarterback rating, and touchdown passes.
In his defense, there were constant distractions for him, such as Terrell Owens implying that Garcia was suited to play in Chappelle's "Ask a Gay Dude" segment.
On the field, Garcia was constantly under pressure. Playing behind an offensive line that allowed 25 sacks in his first nine games and having no running game for support was, as Rick James would say, cold-blooded.
Lee Suggs garnered praise as one of the few positive spots on the offense but he only averaged 3.7 yards per carry. He has shown some flashes which indicate that he could be a premier back in a superior environment.
William Green, a habitual line-stepper, was finally able to start more than 10 games in his third season, but wore out his welcome with his ineffectiveness (3.6 ypc and 2 touchdowns).
The production from the wide receivers was just as spotty with no primetime weapons. The Browns quarterbacks took the advice of Wu Tang Financial and diversified their bonds, but even so, the combination of Dennis Northcutt, Andre Davis, and Antonio Bryant only combined for 1,768 yards and 8 touchdowns. Losing Davis for nine games with a turf toe injury really hindered this group.
Rookie tight end Kellen Winslow was in-line to be the big-play threat, but was lost for the season on a special teams play in Week 2.
The offense had sufficient talent at all the extremities to succeed, but was never able to get a rhythm going because of a porous offensive line. When they played cohesively, it was evident that Cleveland had enough to be competitive.
On the other side of the ball, the defense was unbalanced and not even a good choking from Wayne Brady would have helped.
The pass defense ranked fifth, the rush defense ranked 32nd.
We could talk about safeties Earl Little and Robert Griffith and cornerback Anthony Henry, three of the four players who started and stood out in the Browns' secondary last season, but they will not be a part of the 2005 roster.
As for the run defense, it was hands down, the worst in the NFL. Even a burned-out Tyrone Biggums could have torched this defense for 100+ yards. With most of their defensive line gone to Denver, along with a change in the defensive philosophy, the Browns will inherit very little from last year's front seven.
When you turn on your TV, what you're going to see now is the Romeo Crennel show. With a massive roster overhaul and a brand new coaching staff who enter along with him, the Browns won't have too much negative carry over going forward.
This Year
The Browns are no longer a soap opera and their concentration is squarely on football matters. But make no mistakes, this is a rebuilding season.
Five wins would be a success.
Crennel made a name for himself as Bill Belichick's defensive coordinator in New England so expect his expertise to stimulate the defense more than the offense.
They will need it because they are light on experience and thin on talent. Just as the statistics from last season indicate, the secondary is the strength and the run defense is the weakness.
Starting cornerbacks Daylon McCutcheon and Gary Baxter are a quality starting duo, but depth at this position is unproven. Michael Lehan, Leigh Bodden, and rookie Antonio Perkins are all unproven, and furthermore, this secondary is not capable of matching up with three- or four-receiver sets.
The future at safety is Sean Jones and Brodney Pool. Jones was last year's second-round pick (and missed the entire season with an ACL injury) and Pool is this year's. Jones is beaming with athletic ability and Pool has great instincts at free safety, but the problem is that both are (essentially) rookies. Brian Russell is the only experienced backup and although he's the projected starter at free safety, his skills are only average at best.
The front seven is switching to a 3-4 scheme, but the tawdry personnel isn't fooling anyone.
The linebackers are a group of suspects and remain a gaping area of need. The Browns attempt to address this deficiency in the offseason was by signing Matt Stewart and drafting Nick Speegle (sixth-round). Stewart is a mediocre fill-in and the expectations for Speegle will be limited as well in his first season. The four starters project to be Kenard Lang and Chaun Thompson on the outside with Ben Taylor and Andra Davis on the inside. Lang has been a career defensive end and should be effective in a pass-rushing role, but has never responded well to running situations.
Thompson and Davis are both raw players who Crennel might be able to turn out, especially Davis, who should overachieve like most players do in a contract year.
The front lines are finally rid of first-round underachievers Courtney Brown and Gerard Warren. Both never panned out, but a change in environment could inspire them. So that leaves Alvin McKinley, Orpheus Roye, and Jason Fisk with — what is becoming a common theme — little depth behind them.
Fisk is too small to play nose tackle in a 3-4 and will likely break down. Casey Hampton and Vince Wilfork, both who play the pivotal tackle role for Pittsburgh's and New England's 3-4 are 6-1, 325 pounds. Fisk's sub-300 pound stature figures to be an Achilles heel.
The ends McKinley and Roye don't scare anyone and once again, veteran depth is absent.
Crennel was a wizard at extracting production from no-name players in New England, but he really doesn't have a lot to work with here.
On offense, the most important change will be a revamped offensive line. The addition Joe Andruzzi and Cosey Coleman will give the Browns an excellent guard tandem and tackle L.J. Shelton seems re-energized after signing a one-year deal with the Browns. Ryan Tucker is the team's best lineman and center Jeff Faine should improve with a better cast around him.
Trent Dilfer is Cleveland's short-term solution at quarterback and third-round selection Charlie Frye appears to be at least a year away from starting. It would make sense to get Frye at least a few starts by the end of the season just to see what they have in him. The Buffalo Bills pried Kelly Holcomb away for just $1.5 million per season — the offense would have been more dangerous with him.
William Green and Lee Suggs have both suffered playing behind a terrible line, so look for an increased output from both of them. The acquisition of Reuben Droughns seems like an absolute waste. See Orlandis Gary. What the move does show is that the team, for whatever reason, is not completely sold on Suggs as a starter.
The wide receivers are a shining light, but they have no quarterback to get them the ball. Rookie Braylon Edwards figures to provide the big plays, which should eventually slide Andre Davis, Antonio Bryant, and Dennis Northcutt down the depth chart. They are a complete group, but won't feast on any secondaries with Dilfer at the helm.
The run defense that allowed almost 145 yards per game doesn't look overly improved and while the team has upgraded offensive parts, the skill at quarterback has been downgraded.
Enjoy.
Over/Under: 4.5
Crennel's defense will be a treadmill for run-heavy Pittsburgh and Baltimore, while the secondary will get picked apart by Cincinnati's competent set of receivers. Let's hope that at the very least, Crennel can keep this team somewhat competitive. Outside the division they play: @GB, @IND, DET, @HOU, TEN, MIA, @MIN, JAX, and @OAK.
Fantasy Sleeper
William Green is a forgotten man on this offense and was even on the trading block this offseason, but Crennel has been impressed with his work ethic in early camps. This is the best offensive line he has ever been teamed with and he still has that burst of speed that caught Cleveland's eye in the 2002 draft.
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