NFL Preview: Cleveland Browns

Colt McCoy’s sophomore season could prove promising for the Browns but Al Dannity says there is a tough road ahead.

The players
The arrival of Brandon Jackson through free agency may appear to fix a problem that wasn’t there but he could prove a big addition in Cleveland. Peyton Hillis had a tremendous season for the Browns in 2010 but he needs quality back-up to avoid being busted up. Jackson provides that and more with the former Packer proving a excellent contributor as a blocking back.

Jordan Cameron and Greg Little could both prove to be interesting additions to the Browns’ offense, with Cameron having the potential to quickly become Colt McCoy’s safety valve. Phil Taylor and Jabaal Sheard should both prove important additions as the Browns migrate to a 4-3 offense.

Mark your calendar
Seven of the eight games on the Browns’ schedule are against teams very much in transition. The Colts are the only opponent they will face during that spell with a winning record from 2010. That provides Cleveland with plenty of opportunities to develop a sense of confidence and record wins during the early part of their slate.

The downside of this is that the backside of the schedule is far from friendly. The final five weeks include all four of the Browns’ games against the Steelers and Ravens. That is going to make for a brutal run-in.

The verdict
Nobody is talking playoffs in Cleveland and with good reason. The Browns are in the same division as two AFC powers in the shape of Baltimore and Pittsburgh. It’s difficult to see either of those sides missing the post-season in 2011. Claiming third spot in the AFC North is well within Cleveland’s power but it’s going to take some hard work getting there.

If Cleveland can go 6-5 in their first 11 games, and it’s not that big an if, then they would only need to win at Arizona in Week 15 for NFL betting fans taking the over, at +6.5 games, to come out on top. Even 8-8 isn’t entirely implausible although I would expect the Browns would have to win at least one of their games with the Ravens and Steelers to make that happen. It’s going to be a relatively calm year up until Thanksgiving for Browns fans. That’s better than most recent seasons for the folks in Cleveland.