Many felt that the Cleveland Browns would contend for a Super Bowl in 2019. Instead, the Browns won just six games and missed the playoffs entirely.
Cleveland's miserable campaign resulted in the firings of both general manager John Dorsey and head coach Freddie Kitchens, who were replaced by Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski, respectively.
With a new coaching staff and a new GM, there is some reason for optimism for the Browns heading into 2020.
Here are the three biggest questions for Cleveland going into next season:
3. Will the defense improve?
While most of the discussion concerning the 2019 Browns was centered around Baker Mayfield and the offense, the defense did not exactly step up.
Cleveland ranked just 22nd in the NFL in defense this past season and was particularly bad against the run, finishing 30th in that category.
The problem is that the Browns haven't seemed to get much better on that side of the ball this offseason.
Cleveland lost linebacker Joe Schobert to free agency, and the only significant defensive signing the Browns made was safety Karl Joseph, who is just decent.
Yes, Berry dedicated three straight picks between Rounds 2 and 3 of the NFL Draft to defense, but rookies outside of the first round are generally a crapshoot.
2. Can Baker Mayfield rebound?
Mayfield took the league by storm in 2018, setting a rookie record with 27 touchdown passes. As a result, there was considerable hype surrounding Mayfield going into 2019, but he fell flat on his face.
To be fair, Mayfield had a poor offensive line, and Kitchens didn't do him any favors. But there is also no denying that the University of Oklahoma product simply did not play well, and the fact that he was making headlines for his mouth rather than positive performance was not a good look.
This time, there are no excuses. He has Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry and new tight end Austin Hooper at his disposal. The offensive line has improved. The sophomore slump is behind him.
The third year is always a critical one for quarterbacks, so Mayfield really needs to show out in 2020. Heck, if the Browns want to have any chance of contending in an AFC North division that houses the Baltimore Ravens and a healthier Pittsburgh Steelers club, Mayfield has to rebound.
1. How is the locker-room dynamic?
It seemed pretty clear that Kitchens did not have control of the locker room in 2019, so much so that some wondered if there would be a mass exodus of Browns players going into this offseason.
Cleveland ultimately held on to its best guys and instead opted to just replace Kitchens (and Dorsey). Will that be enough?
Let's be honest: the problem ran deeper than just Kitchens.
Mayfield clearly lacked maturity, and it seemed pretty obvious that Beckham was still not exactly a model citizen. Landry made some noise, as well. There was also that whole incident with Myles Garrett hitting Mason Rudolph over the head with a helmet.
We'll see if Berry and Stefanski can straighten things out. If not, some big changes may be needed in Cleveland.
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