Cleveland Browns: Four bold predictions for 2015

As we enter the final days of the NFL’s off-season, the temperature is heating up along with news from each of the 32 teams as they progress through Organized Team Activities and mincamps, headed toward training camp in the end of July.

It’s too far into the off-season to make way-too early predictions, yet we’re too far off to make anything other than somewhat educated speculation as to what is in store in the upcoming NFL season.

Here are my bold predictions for the Cleveland Browns in the 2015 season.

Johnny Manziel will start at some point in the season.

Is this really that bold? The Browns would be doing themselves a disservice if they allowed Josh McCown to go the whole season as the leader of the offense. Unless McCown is leading the team to a definitive playoff spot, the Browns need to find out what they have in Manziel going into the potentially great quarterback class of the 2016 NFL Draft.

The Browns will beat the Broncos in Week 6 at home.

The Browns are going to host Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in Week 6. This prediction goes along with the fact that I believe that despite a few solid players on both sides of the ball, the Denver Broncos are going to find themselves in a dog fight every week to win games. It’s no secret that Manning is getting up there in age now that he is 39 years old. The Broncos new coaching staff, led by Gary Kubiak, no doubt plan on protecting Manning with an enhanced emphasis on the running game. With Ryan Clady, the team’s best offensive lineman, out for the season with a torn left ACL, the Broncos may struggle to get the run game started, putting more on the shoulders of Manning. And at his age we have to wonder if Manning has one more 4,500-plus-yard passing season in him?

Browns win 31-21.

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Cleveland will boast a Top 5 defense by season’s end.

It’s a story we all know by now. Last year’s Browns had the 32nd-ranked run defense. Ugly. The Browns defense were Top 10 in turnovers and points allowed, as well as Top 15 in passing yards allowed. With the off-season additions of Tramon Williams, Randy Starks, Nate Orchard and Danny Shelton, and the development of young players like Justin Gilbert, K’Waun Williams, Barkevious Mingo and Craig Robertson, the Browns are poised to have a big season on the defensive side of the ball. With Tramon Williams, Joe Haden and (hopefully) Gilbert able to isolate receivers on an island, the front seven should be able to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines, resulting in good field position for the offense. Which leads me to my final prediction …

“The best way I can describe Duke is what Thurman Thomas was for Buffalo, It’s going to be all over the field. It’s a ‘Where’s Waldo?” – Wilbert Montgomery, running backs coach

The Browns will have a Top 10 running attack.

With the Cleveland Browns current three-headed attack of Terrance West, Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson, it shouldn’t matter too much who heads up the offense as long as they are able to manage the game and avoid costly turnovers. If West and Crowell can hold onto the ball, and the line can stay healthy, they should be able to pound out solid yardage each and every game. Word out of Cleveland is the coaching staff hopes Johnson can add an extra dimension to the Browns running attack. If the coaching staff is able to find a good combination in the backfield, it should help keep the defense off the field, and allow both the defense and the quarterback (whoever that may be) to be far more effective on the field in 2015.

What are your bold predictions for the Cleveland Browns in 2015?

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