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The 2018 season was a step in the right direction for the Cleveland Browns. Baker Mayfield was a savior for a team that seemed like it was gearing up for another disappointing year.
The Browns began the season with Hue Jackson as their head coach and Tyrod Taylor as their quarterback. In Week 3, the Browns played a game that would change the outlook of the whole season.
Taylor began the game under center but was struggling until he got hurt. Mayfield ran onto the field, down 14-0 and two quarters left to play.
Mayfield would rally the Browns to a 21-17 victory, landing him the starting quarterback spot moving forward.
The Browns would fire Jackson after going 2-5-1 through Week 8 and named Gregg Williams the interim head coach. Williams would lead the Browns to a final record of 7-8-1.
There was finally optimism in Cleveland about where the franchise was headed. That optimism is due to guys like Mayfield, Jarvis Landry, and Nick Chubb changing the culture.
The Browns decided to hire Freddie Kitchens as their head coach after he had a great season mentoring Mayfield. Kitchens and Mayfield seem to have a close relationship on and off the field.
This offseason can continue to stem off of what was a great 2018 season. The Browns have already managed to sign Kareem Hunt and have traded for Olivier Vernon.
Hunt will likely be suspended a good portion of 2019 due to his domestic violence case. Vernon will add an edge rusher on the opposite side of Myles Garrett.
John Dorsey, the Browns' general manager, continues to be very active in the trade market. He hasn't shied away from trading players either, trading away 10 players since 2018.
The NFL Draft is approaching soon, where the Browns can build on their impressive 2018 draft. In 2018, they drafted well with Mayfield, Denzel Ward, Chubb, Austin Corbett, and Antonio Callaway.
It'll be hard to match that in 2019, but someone like Dorsey embraces the challenge. After all, he took the Browns GM job a year after the Browns went 0-16.
The Browns needs include offensive tackle, defensive tackle, wide receiver, cornerback, and safety. They could approach the draft as a place to fill some of these needs.
The Browns could take a cornerback opposite Ward like Greedy Williams or Byron Murphy. In addition to the draft, the Browns can find guys in free agency to improve their roster.
The Browns own nearly $77 million in cap space this offseason. Above all, this allows them to spend up on multiple positions.
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One guy to keep an eye on is Tyrell Williams. Cleveland needs an experienced wide receiver to go with Landry. Williams is one of the best wideouts hitting the open market. Furthermore, the Browns are not likely looking at Antonio Brown as an option currently.
So, how can Cleveland and Mayfield make the playoffs in 2019? The AFC North is seemingly as wide open as it's been in recent memory.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a complete circus and are losing two of their best players in Brown and Le'Veon Bell. The Steelers could start to decline with Ben Roethlisberger continuing to age.
The Baltimore Ravens have already lost Eric Weddle and Michael Crabtree and could possibly lose Terrell Suggs, John Brown, and C.J. Mosley as well. The Ravens offense has to improve upon their flaws.
Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to a 10-6 record and a Wild Card bid in 2018. Consequently, their offense became too predictable and struggled against the Los Angeles Chargers in the playoffs.
There's no guarantee the Ravens repeat that success in 2019 after teams saw tape on how to slow them down. As a result, their future is very much up in the air at the moment.
The Cincinnati Bengals have been stuck in no man's land for years now. They have struggled to utilize their talent with Andy Dalton under center and it's hard to see that changing in 2019.
With teams like the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, and Houston Texans, the AFC is loaded.
The good news is, none of those teams reside in the AFC North. Thus, making the Browns prohibitive favorites to win the AFC North in 2019.
A record of 10-6 or 11-5 will likely be enough to win the division with the other three teams trying to iron things out. Led by Mayfield, Cleveland will end a 17-year playoff drought in 2019.
