Cleveland Browns 2020 Season Preview
Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Posted on 8/29/2020.
Cleveland Browns Free Agency Recap
Cleveland made Austin Hooper the highest paid tight end in the NFL. Jack Conklin signed a deal with Cleveland to be their starting right tackle. On defense, the big addition was getting strong safety Karl Joseph. Cleveland also got quarterback Case Keenum as a backup to Baker Mayfield.
Cleveland Browns Draft Recap
Cleveland got four starters in the 2018 NFL Draft, and two starters from the 2019 NFL Draft. Cleveland appears to have had a strong draft once again in 2020. Jedrick Wills Jr. was the right tackle at Alabama, and he is the front runner to be Baker Mayfield's blindside after the Browns took him at 10. LSU free safety Grant Delpit would have started at free safety next to Karl Joseph if it wasn't for a season ending injury after being Cleveland's second round pick. Cleveland got Jacob Phillips in the third round out of LSU who appears to be a canddiate to start as well as Missouri defensive tackle Jordan Elliott for depth.
Cleveland spent two day 3 picks on guys I interviewed on Senior Bowl media day by getting John Mackey Award Winner Harrison Bryant, a tight end from Florida Atlantic in the fourth round and Washington center Nick Harris in the fifth round. Cleveland used their final draft pick on Michigan wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Cleveland Browns Quarterback Summary: Baker Mayfield is now Cleveland's franchise quarterback. Mayfield had 3,725 passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, and 14 interceptions as a rookie. He had a rough 2019 season. Case Keenum will be Baker Mayfield's backup.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski will be calling the plays after previously being Minnesota's offensive coordinator. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will act as a quarterbacks coach despite being promoted to offensive coordinator.
Cleveland did not hire a quarterbacks coach after Kevin Zampese left. Not having a quarterbacks coach may not be an issue, since Baker Mayfield made huge strides this offseason.
Cleveland Browns Running Back Summary: Cleveland has incredible depth at running back with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt as their top two running backs. The Browns also have running backs coach/running game coordinator Stump Mitchell. Not only can Cleveland air it out over the next two years, they can run it at will on their opponents.
Cleveland Browns Wide Receiver Summary: Cleveland traded for Odell Beckham Jr. This allows his former LSU teammate Jarvis Landry to move to a number two receiver role. This also allows Rashad Higgins to move to the slot after his best season in Cleveland in 2018 before being a slot receiver in 2019. Rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones is now the number four receiver on this roster.
Former Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Chad O'Shea is the wide receivers coach and the passing game coordinator with the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland has new coaches in their passing game that will have to adapt, but will have lots of talent to work with.
Cleveland Browns Tight End Summary: Cleveland has Austin Hooper, David Njoku, and rookie Harrison Bryant at tight end. All three tight ends have looked fantastic in Browns training camp so far. Drew Petzing is the tight ends coach.
Cleveland Browns Offensive Line Summary: Cleveland has Jedrick Wills Jr. at left tackle, Joel Bitonio at left guard, J.C. Tretter at center, Wyatt Teller at right guard, and Jack Conklin at right tackle when healthy. Tretter is injured right now and Nick Harris is getting reps with the first team and is dominating.
Bill Callahan is the new offensive line coach. He was the interim head coach for Washington after Jay Gruden got fired. Callahan was also the offensive line coach in Dallas when USC right tackle Tyron Smith had to make the transition to left tackle. Former Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas has helped mentor Jedrick Wills Jr. as well. As long as Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin do well at offensive tackle, the sky is the limit for this offense.
With Cleveland, I'm expecting a top 15 offense. As long as the offensive line protects Baker Mayfield this offense has a chance to be a top 5 offense in points scored, passing yards, rushing yards, total yards. This offense will be as good as Baker Mayfield makes it.
Cleveland Browns Defensive Line Summary: Myles Garrett will play 4-3 right end with Olivier Vernon complimenting him at 4-3 left end. Sheldon Richardson and Larry Ogunjobi will start at one defensive tackle spot. Jordan Elliott, a former defensive tackle out of Missouri, Cleveland's 2020 third round pick and Andrew Billings who is injured, are the depth players at 4-3 defensive tackle. Adrian Clayborn and Chad Thomas provide depth at defensive end. Chris Kiffin takes over as the defensive line coach.
Cleveland Browns Linebacker Summary: When healthy, Cleveland has Mack Wilson, Sione Takitaki, and Jacob Phillips at linebacker. With Mack Wilson currently injured, Cleveland will rely heavily on rookie Jacob Phillips as he's the only one of these three that I can see contributing in a signficant way. Cleveland picked up Malcolm Smith, but I don't see him doing anything.
Jason Tarver is the linebackers coach. He was the defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt where he helped 2021 NFL Draft prospect Dmitri Moore breakout in 2019.
Cleveland Browns Defensive Backs Summary: Denzel Ward did better then I expected in his first two years. Greedy Williams compliments him. You also have Kevin Johnson and M.J. Stewart, two Free Agents that Cleveland picked up to give the Cleveland Browns depth at cornerback.
Cleveland had Karl Joseph at strong safety and Grant Delpit at free safety. With Delpit out for the season, Cleveland now has a glaring weakness at safety despite their strong depth at cornerback. Greedy Williams is also injured at the moment, but I'm not concerned about Cleveland's cornerbacks for 2020 yet.
Defensive coordinator Joe Woods was a defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers prior to being hired by the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland also has Jeff Howard as a passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach.
I think Cleveland can have a top 10 pass rush and a top 15 pass defense if everyone stays healthy. Cleveland appears to have a top 20 run defense. They have lots of depth at defensive tackle, yet are extremely thin at linebacker.
Cleveland Browns Special Teams Summary: Cleveland has Austin Seibert at kicker and Jamie Gillan at punter. Cleveland will also use Tavierre Thomas as a kick returner and Jarvis Landry as a punt returner.
Mike Preifer is the special teams coordinator for the Browns. He was the Vikings special teams coordinator until 2019 when he went to Cleveland. Him and Kevin Stefanski are re-united in Cleveland after working for Mike Zimmer in Minnesota.
Cleveland Browns Worst Case Scenario: Cleveland goes 5-11 and reverts to last place in the AFC North due to lousy pass protection.
Cleveland Browns Best Case Scenario: Cleveland takes the NFL by storm and finally lives up to their name. Cleveland wins the AFC North Division.
Cleveland Browns 2020 NFL Schedule
Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Time |
Cable Network |
Result |
Week 1 |
September 13 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
CBS |
L |
Week 2 |
September 17 |
VS  |
8:20 PM EST |
NFL Network |
W |
Week 3 |
September 27 |
VS  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 4 |
October 4 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 5 |
October 11 |
VS  |
4:25 PM EST |
CBS |
W |
Week 6 |
October 18 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
CBS |
L |
Week 7 |
October 25 |
AT |
1 PM EST |
CBS |
L |
Week 8 |
November 1 |
VS  |
1 PM EST |
CBS |
W |
Week 9 |
|
Bye Week |
|
|
|
Week 10 |
November 15 |
VS  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
W |
Week 11 |
November 22 |
VS  |
1 PM EST |
FOX |
L |
Week 12 |
November 29 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
CBS |
W |
Week 13 |
December 6 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
CBS |
L |
Week 14 |
December 14 |
VS |
8:15 PM EST |
ESPN |
L |
Week 15 |
December 20 |
AT  |
1 PM EST |
CBS |
W |
Week 16 |
December 26 |
AT  |
8:15 PM EST |
ESPN |
W |
Week 17 |
January 3 |
VS |
1 PM EST |
CBS |
W |
The Utopia Of Sports
