The Cleveland Browns snapped their 17-year playoff absence last season. Then, they got right back to work on starting a new one. Cleveland fell apart down the stretch of the regular season, suffering a three-game skid before Week 18 and being eliminated from the playoffs entering the final week.
Myles Garrett stated that he wasn't processing Cleveland's season being over in Week 18 well. Jarvis Landry is trying to cope with the Browns' absence from the postseason, too, sharing his desire to play ahead of the first Wild Card games.
This offseason is do-or-die for the Browns. Their defense is littered with talent but their offense looked bad this season. Nick Chubb did a lot of heavy lifting to make up for Cleveland's lackluster passing game. Landry had the least productive season of his career, though it was not completely his fault.
A lot of questions will be about Baker Mayfield. He will undergo shoulder surgery but he should be back well before next season begins. The 26-year-old has the support of Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry but he still has a lot to prove. Mayfield will have to cut down on turnovers in order to be an effective quarterback.
The Browns' chances at getting back to the playoffs may be harder in the following years. The Cincinnati Bengals made a huge jump behind young stars Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase. The Baltimore Ravens missed the playoffs largely due to injuries, especially to Lamar Jackson.