Our next overview of AFC North opponents examines the Cleveland Browns, who finished in dead last in the division last season.

It’s fun (and easy) to make fun the Browns, who have finished last in the AFC North all but twice since 2003, and haven’t won a division title since 1989. Their last winning season came in 2007, and their last playoff appearance was in 2002. (By comparison, the Steelers haven’t had a sub .500 season since 2003.)

Despite all of those losing seasons, all of the constant changes, etc. I still think the Browns are poised for a better finish in 2017. Okay, I know, you can’t get much worse than winning a single game in a season, like Cleveland did in 2016, but a softer schedule, among other things in their favor, should support an improvement in 2017…. Maybe even a move out of the AFC North basement.

Here’s an overview of Cleveland’s needs for the upcoming 2017 season, and where they stood in 2016.

2016 Rankings

Record: 1-15, 4th AFC North

Offense	Rank
Yards / Game	30
Yards / Play	27
Rushing Yards / Game	19
Rushing Yards / Play	2
Passing Yards / Game	28
Passing Yards / Play	30
Interception Rate	19
Sacks / Pass Attempt	32
First Downs / Game	26
Punt Return Avg	26
Kickoff Return Avg	28
Field Goals Made	28
3rd Down Pct	26
4th Down Pct	4
Red Zone Pct	16
Goal to Go%	25
Avg Time of Possession	31
Points / Game	31

Defense	Rank
Yards / Game	31
Yards / Play	26
Rushing Yards / Game	31
Rushing Yards / Play	29
Passing Yards / Game	21
Passing Yards / Play	28
Interception Rate	23
Sacks / Pass Attempt	29
First Downs / Game	31
Punt Return Avg	14
Kickoff Return Avg	13
3rd Down Pct	30
4th Down Pct	30
Red Zone Pct	29
Goal to Go%	25t
Points / Game	30
Point Differential / Game	32
Yard Differential / Game	31

Passing Leaders	Att	Comp	Yards	TDs	INT
Cody Kessler	195	128	1380	6	2
Josh McCown	165	90	1100	6	6
Robert Griffin	147	87	886	2	3

Rushing Leaders	Att	Yards	Avg	TDs	FUM
Isaiah Crowell	198	952	4.8	7	2
Duke Johnson	73	358	4.9	1	2
Robert Griffin	31	190	6.1	2	4

Receiving Leaders	Rec	Yds	Avg	TDs
Terrelle Pryor	77	1007	13.1	4
Gary Barnidge	55	612	11.1	2
Duke Johnson	53	514	9.7	0
Isaiah Crowell	40	319	8.0	0
Corey Coleman	33	413	12.5	3

Defensive Leaders	Tack	Sack	Fum	INTs
Christian Kirksey	93	2.5	0	0
Demario Davis	59	2.0	1	0
Jamie Collins	48	2.0	1	0
Jamar Taylor	46	0	0	3
Joe Haden	37	0	0	3
Brien Boddy-Calhoun	36	1.0	1	3
Danny Shelton	32	1.5	0	0
Derrick Kindred	30	0	0	0
Emmanuel Ogbah	28	6.0	0	0

Free Agency

The Browns have a number of players ready to hit the open market, should they not resign them before the new league year opens on March 9th.

Among those that may not return:

• WR Terrelle Pryor
• T Austin Pasztor
• S Jordan Poyer
• DE Stephen Paea

The team has already parted ways with several of last year’s mainstays, including QB Josh McCown and WR Andrew Hawkins. They’ve also made a long-term commitment to punter Britton Colquitt (who all kidding aside, got the job done last year).

The Browns have the most money to spend of all 32 teams in free agency, even after extending LB Jamie Collins (who they acquired in a trade with New England last year).

They don’t have many of their own free agents to bring back, other than Pryor; who is the biggest offensive threat they’ve had since Josh Gordon went missing years ago.

Draft and Depth Chart Outlook

Biggest needs: QB, C/G, DB

Honestly, with the top overall pick, the Browns could take a quarterback.

The question is, should they?

RG3 is still around for one more year, after his usual “made of glass” held him to only give starts last season, including the Browns only win.

Cody Kessler was drafted last year, and completed a ridiculous 65.6% of his passes. He quietly went unnoticed for not turning the ball over (only two interceptions in 195 attempts) as opposed to Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz, who threw 16 touchdowns to 14 picks. The reason Wentz is mentioned, other than also being a rookie, is that the Browns traded their 2nd overall pick in 2016 to allow the Eagles to draft Wentz. Kessler was instead taken in the third round, and in my opinion played well enough to compete to start in the future.

As part of the trade with the Eagles, the Browns received three of Philly’s top 100 picks in 2016, a first rounder this year and another second round pick in 2018. That pushes Cleveland to 11 total draft picks for this year’s draft, tied with Cincinnati as the most in the league. Along with having the top choice, the Browns will also pick at spots 12, 33, 52, and 65.

That’s five of the top 100 picks, and all of them are 65 or earlier: the Steelers have picks 30 and 62 by comparison!

Conclusion

We’ve all seen Cleveland blow it on many personnel decisions over the years, but this could finally be the season they turn things around. They have an insane amount of picks, and the most amount of cap room to make moves. If they cannot buy the additional starters they need to make a run at at least a .500 season, the NFL should start considering relegation like overseas soccer teams, or possibly another relocation.

I joke, but with 5 of the top 65 spots in the draft, with trades potentially netting them more/less in future drafts, the time is now to find young, inexpensive starters surrounded by quality free agent pickups. The Browns offensive line has been a disaster as of late, since the loss of C Alex Mack to the Falcons last season. C Cam Irving hasn’t panned out, and the loss of their right tackle means they need help. If they feel Irving can play guard, they have Pro Bowl LT Joe Thomas in place, as well as RG John Greco. Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson are quality running backs who could benefit from an improved line, not to mention any quarterback who lines up under center is going to need protected (which didn’t happen last season, as the Browns went through six QBs!)

Locking down Pryor would give them a big-play threat, and with Corey Coleman entering year two, should be good enough for the passing game. Gary Barnidge has somehow continued to produce despite the inconsistency of solid passers too.

That leaves the defense as a place of improvement. Jamie Collins, Emmanuel Ogbah, Danny Shelton, Joe Haden, and Christian Kirksey are all capable defenders. Spending some of those picks, or some of that money, could add pieces around them, and possibly make Cleveland a headache, instead of a doormat, in 2017.