Cleveland Browns year in review: The first quarter
By Thomas Moore
The Cleveland Browns had a tumultuous year in 2016, starting with their latest regime change. Take a look back at the first three months in Part 1 of our year in review.
The 2016 calendar year was an eventful one for the Cleveland Browns – even by their often bizarre standards.
The year ushered in:
- Another coaching change as Hue Jackson took charge;
- A new front office regime in Paul DePodesta, Sashi Brown and Andrew Berry;
- The departure of several free agents, most notably center Alex Mack and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz;
- A trade that sent the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles so they could select quarterback Carson Wentz, a transaction that will continue to be debated for some time;
- A league-high 14 players selected in the draft;
- The annual ride on the quarterback merry-go-round; and,
- More losing than we’ve ever seen from this once dynastic franchise.
Despite what you may have heard, however, things were not all that bad when it came to the Browns.
The final 1-15 record was hard to take, but the losing had a purpose behind it – even if some refuse to see it.
The coaching staff took a long and critical look at a roster than was over-loaded with first- and second-year players.
The Browns, with five picks among the first 65 selections in the 2017 NFL Draft and somewhere north of $100 million in cap space, have the means necessary to continue to fix the holes on the roster.
Before we go full steam ahead into 2017, let’s take a look back at the year that was for the Browns in a quarter-by-quarter breakdown on the 2016 season.