The Cleveland Browns have been the NFL’s punch line for a while. Since realignment placed them in the AFC North in 2002, they’ve won more than five games in a season exactly three times. In 2002, they went 9-7 and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Steelers. In 2005, they were 6-10 despite being outscored by 69 points over the course of the season. And in 2007, they went 10-6 and finished in second place in the division, just missing the playoffs. All those years of mediocrity have yielded several top-10 picks, but the franchise has yet to turn those picks into successful season.
They’ll try to reverse their fortunes this season. At the end of the 2012 season, general manager Tom Heckert was fired, and head coach Pat Shurmur followed him. Heckert was replaced by Michael Lombardi, and he hired Rob Chudzinski, their offensive coordinator in 2007. He’s spent the last four years in San Diego under offensive mastermind Norv Turner (who the Browns also brought in as offensive coordinator) and in Carolina coaching Cam Newton. The Browns also poached the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive coordinator Ray Horton, who will bring Dick LeBeau’s defensive concepts to Cleveland’s talented defense.
Cleveland have some good talent. They just need the coaching and organizational structure to help that talent to thrive. If there’s a pair of offensive coaches who can make Brandon Weeden successful, it’s Chudzinski and Turner. They have a Pro Bowl left tackle in Joe Thomas, one of the best young running backs in Trent Richardson, and a diverse and talented group of receivers in Josh Gordon, Greg Little, David Nelson, and Jordan Cameron. If they can hit in the draft and facilitate Weeden’s growth, they could be a dark horse in an equalizing AFC North.
1 (6): Ziggy Ansah, Defensive End, BYU
I expect the Browns to do all they can to trade down from the sixth overall pick to recoup the second-round pick they lost by selecting Gordon in the 2012 supplemental draft. If they don’t however, Ansah could be the pick. They need at least one more legitimate pass rusher after signing free agent defensive tackle Desmond Bryant to join defensive tackle Phil Taylor and outside linebacker Jabaal Sheard. Adding a player of Ansah’s caliber would take their defense from tough to terrifying.
3 (68): Tyler Bray, Quarterback, Tennessee
Whether Weeden can be a successful NFL quarterback or not, he’ll turn 30 during the 2013 season. The current front office had no part in drafting him, and he’ll only be under contract for another three years, with a contract that is supremely easy to abandon after the 2014 season. Bray won’t be able to start for at least a year or two, but he’s the best arm talent in the draft. The Browns can cope with Weeden for a year or two and groom their guy to take over in a couple of years.
4 (104): Ace Sanders, Wide Receiver, South Carolina
The Browns’ wide receiver corps has excellent size in Gordon, Little, and Nelson. However, without Josh Cribbs, they lack both a quick, shifty guy who thrives in the slot, and a capable returner. Sanders can aptly fill both roles.
5 (139): Tharold Simon, Cornerback, LSU
Joe Haden is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, but he’s missed time lately from injury and suspension, and Buster Skrine struggled in his absence. Ray Horton likes big, physical cornerback play, and Simon fits the bill perfectly. He may not be able to start immediately, but he’ll provide solid depth.
6 (173): J.C. Tretter, Guard, Cornell
Projecting late-round picks for any team is nearly impossible. For a rebuilding team with a new front office, it is impossible. If Cleveland focuses on offensive and defensive skill positions in the early rounds, expect them to invest in the trenches later on. Tretter is a quick, athletic guard with some tackle experience in college. He’s raw but he has great upside.
6 (175): Kapron Lewis-Moore, Defensive Tackle, Notre Dame
The big Fighting Irish defender was overshadowed in college by Louis Nix, Manti Te’o, and Stephon Tuitt, but he played a quality role on one of the best defenses in the nation. He has good length and would provide depth in the Browns’ new 3-4 scheme.