The Cleveland Browns used to be "that good", though to be fair, their last undefeated season was way back in 1948 before they joined the NFL. However, their greatest score of 15-0 is certainly a worthy goal and the Browns hope to score closer to that achievement than last year's 10-6 record. Though last year's end score was far from perfect, season 61 wasn't half bad as the Browns still finished second-place in the AFC North. Are there are major changes that may affect the Brown's performance in Season 62?
The Browns will remain under the direction of head coach Romeo Crennel for the upcoming season. The contract extension was given to Crennel, not provided by request, showing that the team still supports the coach's efforts. They have also extended the contract of offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, who snubbed a Baltimore Ravens' head coaching position to stay with the Browns. However, long-term contracts don't always mean security, as defensive coordinator Todd Grantham found out, after being released only months after signing a two year contract extension. Mel Tucker was given the position, while Cory Undlin was promoted to a defensive backs coaching position.
How about the latest news on players? Currently, there are 19 players on the roster that are free agents in some way, including 13 players that have full rights as unrestricted agents. The team has signed cornerback Terry Cousin, guard Red Hadnot, linebacker Shantee Orr, defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, wide receiver Donté Stallworth and defensive end Corey Williams. Have there been any major releases in preparation of the new season? Yes, defensive lineman Orpheus Roye and cornerback Kenny Wright were both released as unrestricted free agents. The draft was somewhat more promising, though the team did not have a selection in the first three rounds. The team settled on linebacker Beau Bell, tight end Martin Rucker, defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, wide receiver Paul Hubbard and defensive end Alex Hall.
If you watched the Browns carefully in 2007, you probably remember raising an eyebrow or two as the team gave their best performance in over 14 years. Their 51-45 win over the Cincinnati Bengals tied the franchise record and included five touchdown passes. In fact, they just barely missed the playoffs last season because of imposed tiebreaker rules. Six players earned Pro Bowl recognition and their team efforts were definitely not the shame of the NFL, especially compared to other teams' lackluster performance. What does the future hold?
The Cleveland Browns are more optimistic this season after providing formidable competition in 2007 and strengthening their offense. Players that have earned favorable ink have included quarterback Derek Anderson, wide receiver Braylon Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow.
The defense is another story, as indicated by Larry Cook's preview of the Browns 2008 NFL Draft needs below. While defense has been lacking, some of the team's draft picks including Ahtyba Rubin and Alex Hall have been promising. What is the final verdict? The Cleveland Browns are an upswing and may prove to be the most competitive team in the AFC North, especially competing against the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens. Their greatest threat will continue to be the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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