I think the Bills are missing half their starting secondary too
All this off season talk about how the Browns how this
Beastly running game and how it will get
The Browns to the playoffs ....whatever ..
In a league dominated by passing, Berry decides
To build a offense with a running game and a conservative passing
Game. How has that worked out?
First, let's not kid ourselves here, getting a top 5 QB in Watson as the savior to the franchise and putting him into a run first scheme is a waste of money. If Watson is going to be the focus (aka Mahomes, Herbert, Allen, Rodgers), the current scheme would have to change. There's no way that's happening with Stefanski at the helm. I suspect Watson will ask for a replacement early on in 2023 unless the Haslam's address it this coming off season.
Second, offensively the Browns will have to address the WR position. To be blunt, there's not a single WR on the Browns roster that could displace any starter on Cincinnati, Buffalo, LAChargers or Tampa Bay. That tells me the Browns are weak at the position and if 2022 has showed anything (aka Green Bay), weakness at the position will make a top 5 QB average very quickly. There's 230M reasons why this has to change in Cleveland. The other issue is OT, with Conklin more than likely gone to FA and Wills grossly under performing at LT (32.4 PFF Grade last game), the Browns top ranked o-line is suddenly looking weak without some serious investment. Is Berry up to the task?
Third, defensively the Browns need a major overhaul in the front 7. First, Clowney, again a FA and the Browns are on the books for the next 4-years of 1.6M per in dead cap for him. I don't think the Browns can wait until May or June to see if Clowney can find a better deal. Get him signed or move on. DT is such a mess that it's going to take a whole lot of work to fix a position where the Browns have been dead last at for 2-years running. Weak LB's compound the problem but until the Browns address the front, the LB's really won't matter. FS is an issue but more importantly is Ward being paid as a top 5 CB performing at a bottom 5 level. Someone on the Browns needs to find out what the heck is going on with Ward.
If the Browns lose today, they will be 4-games out with the tie breaker less than halfway through the season. The team has gotten progressively worse under Stefanski's rule and not looking good for the rest of the season. The Browns may be getting Watson back from suspension but to be considered on the same level as Buffalo is a massive stretch. There's a ton of work to be done to get this team to a championship level and I'm not confident that Berry can do it. I'm positive that Stefanski is incapable of leading such a team.
