Cleveland Browns Season Preview

(Courtesy of My Sportsbook) - Apparently, Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage believe in the "scorched earth" approach to business. Eliminate everything and everyone that could be seen as a potential problem, and begin anew. That's what the new Cleveland Browns head coach and GM did just after being hired this past winter, and after the previous regime presided over just nine wins in two seasons, you can hardly blame them for such a maneuver. The new brass took a sledgehammer to the three areas of the field that most experts will agree are the determining factor in football success - quarterback, offensive line, and defensive line. All three starting signal- callers from a year ago now live in different NFL cities, with them went no fewer than five o-linemen that started for the Browns last season, and basically the entire 2004 d-line was shipped off to Denver. In addition, the team could start the '05 season with a completely different starting secondary than the one it fielded last year.

If not for the letters on the backs of their jerseys, the players on this team would have to wear nametags. Cleveland's fiercely loyal contingent fan base is realistic about the franchise's prospects for success this season, but is also optimistic that the experienced Crennel and Savage are intelligently building the foundations of a prosperous club, even as they mercilessly tear down the old infrastructure. Below we take a capsule look at the 2005 edition of the Cleveland Browns, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:

RB: Back are Lee Suggs (744 rushing yards, 20 receptions, 3 TD) and William Green (585 rushing yards, 2 TD, 14 receptions), both of whom started games for Cleveland a year ago. But both have been made vulnerable by the addition of Reuben Droughns (1240 rushing yards, 32 receptions, 8 TD with Denver), who was acquired via trade in March after a breakout season in the Mile High City. All three could stick on the opening day roster, but it is hard to envision any of the former starters being happy seeing limited or no carries for an entire season. If Sultan McCullough, who played in one game and had three catches with the Redskins in 2003, looks good enough in camp, Green could be the odd man out. At fullback, Terrelle Smith (7 receptions) is still one of the best blockers in the league. Corey McIntyre or Ben Miller will make the team if Crennel opts to keep a second fullback.

WR/TE: The Browns drafted Michigan star Braylon Edwards with the third overall pick in the April draft, and are expecting the 6-3 matchup problem to thrive in Cleveland. Edwards will likely play in some type of rotation with holdovers Dennis Northcutt (55 receptions, 2 TD), Antonio Bryant (58 receptions, 4 TD with Browns and Cowboys), and former second-round pick Andre' Davis (16 receptions, 2 TD). Davis, who missed nine games last season with a toe injury and has been a disappointment as a pro, was seen as potential trade bait during training camp. Frisman Jackson (13 receptions) and Richard Alston, the latter of whom was the team's primary kickoff return man last season, were each trying to stick as the fifth receiver. At tight end, both Steve Heiden (28 receptions, 5 TD) and Aaron Shea (26 receptions, 4 TD) had their moments last season, and will again have to fill the void left by a season-ending injury to 2004 first-round pick Kellen Winslow. Rookie Paul Irons (Florida State) and second-year man Keith Willis were attempting to make the club as a third tight end.

OL: The offensive line was one of the weakest areas on this team a year ago, and Crennel has taken measures to rectify that situation. In are left tackle L.J. Shelton (77 starts with the Cardinals from 1999-2004), left guard Joe Andruzzi (72 starts with the Patriots from 2000-2004), and right guard Cosey Coleman (63 starts with the Buccaneers from 2001-2004), all of whom are expected to be in the lineup right away. The holdovers on the unit are center Jeff Faine, a former first-round pick who missed three games last season with an ankle injury, and right tackle Ryan Tucker, a three-year starter who lost nine games to a knee injury a year ago. Mike Pucillo, a former starter in Buffalo, should stick as a backup at guard, and tackle Greg Randall, who was a starter on the Patriots' 2001 Super Bowl team, has a chance to claim a roster spot as well. Guards Melvin Fowler and Enoch DeMar, both of whom started games for Cleveland in 2004, could be vulnerable at the final cut. Seventh-round draft choice Jon Dunn (Virginia Tech) is likely headed to the practice squad.

DL: There are wholesale changes here, as five former starters - ends Courtney Brown, Tyrone Rogers, and Ebenezer Ekuban along with tackles Michael Myers and Gerard Warren - are gone. In their place is personnel that fits Crennel's preferred 3-4 defense, including holdovers Orpheus Roye (38 tackles, 1 sack) and Alvin McKinley (49 tackles, 3 sacks) at end and former Charger Jason Fisk (30 tackles, 1 sack with the Chargers) at nose tackle. Holdover Nick Eason, former Patriot Ethan Kelly, and sixth-round draft choice Andrew Hoffman (Virginia) are at the head of a very thin backup group up front.

LB: The part of the defense with the least turnover is linebacker, though the fact that the Browns will be going from a three- to four- linebacker alignment means the transition won't be easy. On the inside are holdovers Andra Davis (71 tackles, 3 INT) and Ben Taylor (8 tackles), with Taylor looking to return from a pectoral injury that ended his 2004 season in September. Veteran Orlando Ruff (74 tackles, 1 INT with the Saints), holdover Mason Unck (17 tackles), or Brant Boyer (missed all of '04 with a foot problem) would be there to step in if Taylor faltered. At right outside linebacker, Chaun Thompson (65 tackles, 2.5 sacks) should be able to competently stop the run, and former Falcon Matt Stewart (67 tackles, 1.5 sacks with Atlanta) will be asked to place pressure on the quarterback. Former end Kenard Lang (62 tackles, 7 sacks) is attempting a position change, and has a chance to unseat Stewart if he picks things up quickly. Fifth-round draft choice David McMillan (Kansas) is also being moved from end.

DB: Crennel and new Browns GM Phil Savage made a big effort to upgrade this area, signing free agent cornerback Gary Baxter (88 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) and free safety Brian Russell (78 tackles, 1 INT) and drafting strong safety Brodney Pool (2nd Round, Ohio State) to improve a unit that was lacking in big plays last season. Sean Jones, a second-round choice in 2004 who missed all of last season with a knee injury, could beat out Pool. The holdover on the unit should be cornerback Daylon McCutcheon (50 tackles, 2 INT), who suffered from migraines and dizziness early in training camp. Former Jet Ray Mickens, who missed all of 2004 with a torn ACL, was signed midway through camp as an insurance policy for McCutcheon and oft-injured backup Michael Lehan (18 tackles). Holdover Leigh Bodden (26 tackles) and rookie Antonio Perkins (4th Round, Oklahoma) will be in the cornerback mix as well. Chris Crocker (56 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) can back up either safety spot and has experience as a starter.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Phil Dawson (24-29 FG, 28-28 XP) is unchallenged as the Browns' place-kicker, but the team is looking for an upgrade from incumbent punter Derrick Frost (40.0 avg.). Kyle Richardson, who missed last season with a torn biceps but has nearly 494 NFL punts to his credit, could unseat Frost. Dennis Northcutt (12.0 avg,) should again fill the punt return role, but Richard Alston (22.1 avg., 1 TD) will be challenged by Andre' Davis and rookie Josh Cribbs (Kent State) in the quest to bring back kickoffs.

PROGNOSIS: This will mark the seventh season since the Browns were re- introduced to the NFL following a three-year hiatus, and still the franchise has an expansion look. Crennel and Savage made several savvy moves that will set the team up for success down the road, but not locating a first-rate quarterback will have disastrous ramifications in the short-term. Apart from that misstep, it is going to take time for all of the new starters (there will be at least 10 within the starting 22 that didn't play a down as a Brown last year) to learn how to work together, and for different offensive and defensive schemes to begin running with optimum efficiency. Also, though Crennel may have been a defensive genius in New England, he has never been a head coach in the NFL, and he and his staff can't be expected to pull all the right strings right away. The Browns are a last-place team this year if ever there was one, but beyond 2005, the future looks bright.