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The Cleveland Browns have been no strangers to sports media over this last calendar year. From events surrounding the now free agent Odell Beckham Jr to handling former no.1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, it seems Cleveland has a knack for never allowing a dull moment.
Through all these distractions, the team did well in staying competitive last season, posting a 7-6 record 14-weeks through the season. Unfortunately, during the final stretch of the year, Cleveland fell flat, finishing 1-3 in the final 4 contests.
Ultimately, this set the Browns up with a record of 8-9, finishing just out of postseason contention.
Cleveland had a notable offseason, bringing in highly controversial quarterback Deshaun Watson. For Watson, the Browns shelled out a first-round pick in '22, '23 and '24 to Houston. Cleveland also sent a '22 second-round, '23 third-round and '24 fourth-round pick to Houston, with the Texans giving a 2024 sixth-rounder back to Cleveland.
As a final part of the Watson deal, Cleveland and the star quarterback agreed to terms on a 5-year, $230M deal. This deal is fully guaranteed.
With Watson, the Browns are confident in a return to the postseason once their quarterback steps onto the field. The problem? Watson may not see the field this upcoming year, and if he does, his season will likely be sliced in half.
So, how does Cleveland find their way back to the playoffs in 2022?
2 things Cleveland must do to make the 2022 postseason
2. Maintain their scary defense
With all the names on the Browns' offense last season, including Odell Beckham Jr, Jarvis Landry and Nick Chubb, it's easy to assume the offense was the scary side of the ball in Cleveland. Surprisingly, it was the defense.
Per Pro Football Focus, the Cleveland Browns ended the 2021 season with the 4th-best secondary leaguewide. Opposing quarterbacks logged the lowest net passer rating when throwing against the Browns' outside cornerbacks, averaging a rating of 71.8. Altogether, Cleveland's cornerback room recorded a top-three coverage grade.
In predicting for the 2022 season, PFF placed the Browns' secondary at no.3; One spot higher than their fourth placement in 2021.
When it comes to the front-seven, Myles Garrett continues to be a standout, and PFF continues to take note. Garrett received a 92.0 grade for his '21 campaign, and is the second-highest ranked edge rusher per the outlet, behind Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt.
Garrett recorded 16 sacks last season, marking his second of back-to-back first-team All-Pro honors.
The Browns were smart to retain defensive end Jadeveon Clowney on the other side of the line, helping the defensive front remain big and bad. Clowney signed a one-year deal worth upwards of $10M to continue playing ball in Cleveland.
Together, the pair of Clowney and Garrett were responsible for 25 sacks in 2021. The duo also combined for 28 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
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If the Browns want to contend next season, specifically in the impending wake of Deshaun Watson, it all starts with maintaining the defense that gave so many opposing offenses headaches last year.
1. Ensure Jacoby Brissett is ready to go
Maybe Cleveland will need Brissett's services and maybe they won't, but either way, the team needs to be sure Brissett is ready to dive in as the week-one starter.
There has to be a smooth transition here to prevent any possible hiccups, and that all starts by making sure their QB2 is comfortable with the offense. To Cleveland's credit, they've done a great job at reloading with weapons after losing both Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry, bringing in Amari Cooper and drafting David Bell.
Since being drafted back in 2015, Cooper has totaled four Pro Bowl appearances, on his way to 7,076 receiving yards and 46 touchdowns. Cooper joins Peoples-Jones as a starting wideout for the Browns, immediately giving Cleveland back a star wideout after Beckham Jr's departure.
Amari Cooper’s final touchdown in a Cowboys uniform. #CowboysNation pic.twitter.com/LT0glCRZQO
— Selby Lopez (@LopezSelby31) March 12, 2022
The Browns sent a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to Dallas for Cooper, in addition to a '22 sixth-round pick swap. Cooper was awarded a 72.9 grade by PFF for his efforts in 2021.
Cleveland also signed Jakeem Grant this offseason, although he'll primarily be a returner. Grant posted 132 receiving yards with 2 touchdowns last year.
Another big development in Cleveland was the re-signing of tight end David Njoku, who agreed to terms on a four-year, $54.75M deal. Altogether, these weapons give Brissett a lot to get comfortable with early on.
While Jacoby Brissett won't be the long term answer in Cleveland by any means, there's still a lot to look forward to with the veteran quarterback. Through his career, the journeyman QB has tossed 36 touchdowns with 17 interceptions, totaling 7,742 yards through the air. On the ground, Brissett has tacked on another 653 yards and 13 scores.
If Cleveland wants to start out hot in 2022, it all starts with the immediate transition to Jacoby Brissett.
