Daily Dawg Tags: Expanded playoffs gives Cleveland Browns more hope
By Dan Justik
The Daily Dawg Tags brings you all the Cleveland Browns news that you need to know, including how the expanded playoffs will give the Browns more hope.
The Cleveland Browns entered the 2019 season with the expectations that they would be a playoff team at the end of the year. Instead, they turned out to be one of the worst teams in the league and did not come close to making the playoffs.
With only six teams from each conference making the playoffs, the margin for error during the season is small. A team can survive a road bump or two during the season and still make the playoffs. But a team cannot have a roller-coaster ride the entire season like the Browns did in 2019.
Even after their poor 2019 season, there is once again a belief that the Browns should be a playoff contender in 2020. A new coaching staff has brought hope that they can turnaround the culture, and a more complete roster should help the team find more success.
More from Dawg Pound Daily
- How the Browns could maximize Nick Chubb in 2023
- Can Deshaun Watson get to Patrick Mahomes level for Cleveland Browns?
- 3 Cleveland Browns who should see an expanded role in 2023 and 1 who should not
- Is Marcus Davenport on the Browns radar in 2023?
- 5 Free agents from Super Bowl LVII Cleveland Browns should target
Today’s featured article also discusses why the Browns will have even more hope in 2020 due to the expanded playoffs.
Cleveland Browns News
"How does a team that has some injuries and bad luck still make the playoffs? It’s a team with discipline, something the Browns actually had when they finished 5-3 under interim coach Gregg Williams in 2018. It can be done, and the new playoff format should push the Browns to stick with their plans to change things. Discipline can be a difference maker."
With just under half of each conference reaching the playoffs, the Browns will stay in contention closer to the end of the season no matter what. It will also allow the new staff to have a bit longer of an adjustment period at the beginning of the season. However, long stretches of poor play, such as in 2019, would still bury this team and limit their chances of making the playoffs.
Could Damarious Randall still return to the Browns?
The Browns made it a priority to remodel their safety room this offseason, signing bot Andrew Sendejo and Karl Joseph. However, Mitch Zoloty wonders if the Browns may still try to bring back Damarious Randall for another season, as Randall still remains a free agent.
Browns agree to 2-year deal with veteran DE Adrian Clayborn – Scott Petrak, Browns Zone
"Clayborn (6-foot-3, 280 pounds) is expected to join a rotation at end with Myles Garrett, Olivier Vernon and Chad Thomas. The signing isn’t expected to affect Vernon, who’s due a $15 million salary in 2020 and could be cut if the Browns find a replacement for the starting lineup."
The Browns needed to build up their depth along the defensive line, no matter what they chose to do with Olivier Vernon. Clayborn will bring a veteran presence to a younger defense and give the Browns a solid rotation up front that will allow the starters to get a few snaps off throughout the game.
Next. Five positions the Browns still need to improve. dark
Three linebackers the Cleveland Browns should target
The Browns still have a big question mark on their defense in the middle of the field with their linebackers. Justice Sunderland looks at three linebackers the Browns should target to improve the linebacker unit before the 2020 season.