Cleveland Browns 2021 season prediction post roster cut down
By Greg Newland
Now that the first 53-man roster is set, let’s see a week-by-week prediction of how the Cleveland Browns will fair throughout the 2021 season.
After the long offseason, it is hard to believe that the NFL regular season is just over a week away, and your Cleveland Browns are considered serious contenders. There are certainly a few teams ahead of them, but in a league where anything can happen, fans have a reason to be excited.
There were certainly a few surprises on the 53-man roster, but the biggest being the release of KhaDarel Hodge. Many believe the intention was to bring him back after moving guys to injured reserved, but unfortunately, the Detroit Lions gobbled him up on waivers before the team even had a chance.
I think for a lot of folks the biggest question heading into the season now is defensive line depth. The Browns let go of a ton of experience at defensive end and are young at defensive tackle. I’m not nearly as concerned about the starting rotation but do worry about depth. An injury or a game where the defense just gets worn out could cause some problems.
The NFL did Cleveland no favors by scheduling them on the road in a rematch of the Divisional Playoff round from 2020 vs. the AFC Champions, Kansas City Chiefs. It’s hard to bet against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
The AFC North continues to age, but the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to prove they are one of the best-run organizations in major sports, Lamar Jackson is still a pain to stop, and Joe Burrow looks to be the real deal. This division will be a real nail-biter and 4-2 will be tough to accomplish.
With the initial rosters set, let’s go through each week and predict the outcome for every game.