By many accounts, the Cleveland Browns have had a fabulous offseason. They signed one of the best free agent defensive linemen in Kenard Lang, as well as one of the best available safeties, Robert Griffin.
That’s great to see the Browns signing some top free agents, but aren’t they forgetting one itty bitty thing? Yeah, that’s it, the offense! They have signed arguably the two best defensive free agents. However, the defense was already solid, being the top 10 in the NFL last year for points allowed, and it would have been better if the defensive unit wasn’t so banged up and burned out at the end of the year thanks to an awful offense.
The Browns’ offense ranked 31st in the league last year out of 31 teams (Using my math skills, it appears that would have ranked them in dead last). The offense would often be on the field to run three plays and punt, meaning the defense was on the field way too long and subsequently getting tired.
Seeing that the Browns’ offense was offense and the defense could have been one of the best in the league with a better offense, logic would say the Browns would have worked to strengthen the offense.
They did fill one pressing need signing offensive tackle, Ryan Tucker, formerly of the St. Louis Rams. That means they still need about two more of those.
Beyond 1,000 yard receiver Kevin Johnson, there is much to be desired in the receiving corps. Quincy “no hands” Morgan has dashing speed and can outrun any defensive back. The problem is he can’t seem to hang onto the ball, and running without the football hasn’t won too many games for too many teams.
After those two come Jujuan Dawson and Dennis Northcutt, who have talent, but their oft-injured bodies being on the bench isn’t doing the Browns much good.
Running backs are even worse. This group included a last season high school (and nowhere else) phenom Ben Gay, along with James Jackson and Jamal White, who may have COMBINED for 1,000 yards rushing last year.
And what have the Browns done to improve the enigmatic running back situation? They traded a seventh round pick to the Miami Dolphins for J.J. Johnson, who rushed for over 600 yards in his best season. The sad thing is that he has the most successful season of any current running back on the Browns roster (Maybe they can talk the ancient Jim Brown out of retirement. A 60-year-old could run better than anything the Browns have now).
So, the Browns have strengthened an already top-notch defense, which will probably get burned out again by a bottom-of-the-heap offense ).
It looks the Browns are running nowhere, but at least the other team won’t either, for the first dozen games anyway. If they make the playoffs, which they could, it will because the defense outscored the offense.
What’s the phrase so famous among Cleveland sports fans? That’s it – wait until next year!
