The NFL is back, and Sportsnet is breaking down everything you need to know about each of the 32 teams—including why you should or shouldn’t be rooting for them this season—in the month leading up to kickoff on Thursday, Sept. 10. Today, the Cleveland Browns.
Last year’s record: 7-9
Head coach: Mike Pettine
Core players: Joe Haden (CB), Joe Thomas (OT), Donte Whitner (S)
2015 is about… Figuring out what to do with Johnny Manziel. The soap opera is never-ending with the Browns and their quarterback controversy, as the team has trotted out 21 starting quarterbacks since 1999.
And that image doesn’t even include Manziel and Connor Shaw, who started a combined three games last season. Now—even though the team went out and grabbed Josh McCown in free agency—the starter for Day 1 of the coming season is still strangely up in the air.
Head coach Mike Pettine can never seem to make up his mind on whether he actually wants to roll with Manziel or not. But regardless of what his personal feelings are, he can’t keep beating around the bush like this. Either declare he’s the starter or declare he’s the backup. This football team’s going nowhere until it consistently knows who’s getting the ball every Sunday.
They lost… Josh Gordon (WR). Okay, technically he wasn’t really with the Browns last season either, as he missed 10 games due to suspension for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. But the troubled-yet-talented receiver has been banned for a full season this time for breaking the rules of his treatment program so it’s still a big blow. When last we saw Gordon actually playing for a prolonged amount of time he was dynamic and damn-near uncoverable. No matter his off-the-field issues, having him off the roster for another year is a big loss.
Yeah, but they got… McCown, Dwayne Bowe (WR) and Brian Hartline (WR). The additions of Bowe and Hartline add some instant depth to what was a very weak and thin receiving corps. Hartline is a great possession guy and Bowe, while he’s failed to live up to his promise at times, is a big downfield target that Cleveland hasn’t known since Gordon in 2013.
As for McCown, Pettine has been backing him in training camp, and he’ll likely be named the starter (the 22nd since 1999!). That said, he won just one of 12 starts in Tampa Bay last season, one season after riding a super-low interception rate to career-best numbers in eight games with the Bears.
Growing from within: Finishing second only to Jeremy Hill in total rookie rushing touchdowns last season with eight, Isaiah Crowell is a promising young back who really excelled in short-yardage and red-zone situations. He emerged ahead of fellow Browns rookie back Terrence West as the season progressed and even showed flashes of potential No. 1 running back skill, with a 4.1 yards-per-carry average.
Why this team? Because they’re the ultimate loveable losers, having last won a championship in 1964—that’s also the last time the city of Cleveland’s won a championship in any sport. There’s really no other reason to be a fan of this team. Unless you were around for the glory years you’ve only known misery as a Browns fan. There’s bound to be a winning stretch somewhere along the line, but that still seems like a long way off.
Why not? There are far too many reasons to list so let’s just go with this: Unless LeBron James suddenly decides to quit basketball to play football for the Browns, this team is going nowhere.
Perfect for fans of… Unrewarded optimism. I’m looking at you, Toronto sports fans.
How much hope? 4/10. The Browns actually do have some nice players spread across the field, especially in their secondary. But all of this is meaningless unless the quarterback situation gets resolved, and it looks like that drama will just continue into the season. Given that fact this scale of hope is probably a bit optimistic. Haden is an awesome player, though, and he alone bumps the Browns up one notch.
Will you be mocked for front-running? Absolutely not. In fact, you’ll likely garner lots of signs of encouragement from other fans to “hang in there” or to “just keep believing” because they are just so sad for you that you opted to choose the Cleveland Browns as your NFL team.
A Meme to Remember: Not even Marty, Doc and the DeLorean can do anything about this notorious bit of sports history.
