Things have not gone well for the Cleveland Browns in 2022, but it could go from bad to worse really quickly inside the organization.
Not only are the Cleveland Browns a disappointing 2-4 right now, but they also have an extremely difficult portion of their schedule coming up before the return of Deshaun Watson. Just when you think this organization may finally be taking the turn in the right direction, something else happens that puts them three steps even further back.
Last week was the first game where they were thoroughly dominated the entire game, but before that, key miscommunications and poor decisions kept them from potentially being 5-0. Don’t get me wrong, none of those five wins would have been “pretty”, but a win is a win in the NFL.
With a tough matchup vs. the Baltimore Ravens who have had the Browns’ number for so long, and continued dysfunction, the train could completely come off the track after this Sunday, and here are three reasons why.
3 reasons the Cleveland Browns are crumbling in front of our eyes
No. 3 – Watson Question Marks
This team has been so bad some have not even paid attention that another accuser has come forward against Watson. A judge did require her to show her name, but after complying, it feels like the start of another investigation is coming. There were also hints that this may not be the only one.
From a pure football perspective, I’ve been in the camp that the Cleveland Browns made a sound decision by trading for Watson. This is a league where it takes an elite quarterback to win games, and Watson is exactly that.
However, is this becoming too much of a distraction?
The NFL was clear they wanted him out the entire season, so if more allegations come (even if not proven guilty), there is a chance Watson may not see an NFL field again. If that were the case, this is a gamble by the Browns that could set the organization back another five years.
No. 2 – Player Evaluation
As fans, you are all aware that the Cleveland Browns have always struggled to bring in talent. The first guy that was willing to overpay to force guys here was John Dorsey. And while he left the Browns in a horrific place from a cap perspective, he at least put Cleveland on the map as a destination.
Andrew Berry has been the hybrid of Dorsey and the old general managers which was necessary. He’s bringing in good talent and appears to be drafting well, but he’s not overpaying and giving the Browns the ability to be competitive for years and years.
At this point though, we must ask if he truly is a good evaluator of talent. I’m not saying he can’t make some mistakes, but he must learn from them. This is now the second year in a row that the Browns have had zero depth at wide receiver, and zero talent at defensive tackle. Amari Cooper is fantastic, but when he’s the only guy you must cover, it can be done.
Berry has made some progress as he moved on from the first player that he drafted. I know the NFL is an analytics game and I have no issues with the Browns using that model. But if you can’t stop the run, and you struggle to throw the ball, you aren’t going to be able to win games.
This is by no means a call to fire Berry; I think he has done a good job for the most part. But if the Browns continued to be hyped as a great team and the roster is completely overvalued and they struggle, you are going to see some internal collapses happen.
No. 1 – Complete Dysfunction
The biggest red flag I see in the organization right now is the chattering on both sides of the ball in the media. Not only are the players not taking accountability for poor performances, but there also continues to be finger-pointing.
In the last week, we have heard more and more about preparation for the game, and how the NFL isn’t just a business where you show up to work during practice. The fact that we’re hearing that from some guys means that there is a serious issue inside that locker room when it comes to preparation. The only thing worse that could happen is for the names of guys who are on that list to come out.
There also appears to be some real dysfunction in the coaching staff as well. Kevin Stefanski has made some really interesting time management decisions this year that leave you scratching your head. Joe Woods continues to run a vanilla defense that even an average quarterback can see exactly what’s happening and pick the unit apart.
Do you think they are making those decisions because they want to? Both of these guys have had success at the highest level and are making these decisions because they don’t trust their team.
Stefanski has a backup quarterback and has struggled to get solid pass protection all year. Woods has seen his defense have five-plus blown coverages in multiple games. He must keep this system as basic as possible just to make sure that people can line up properly.
My point is, there is no trust between coaches and players, and the more that the media becomes involved, the quicker you will see this thing fall apart. Just remember what the video from Odell Beckham’s father did last year to this team.