3 questions the Browns need to answer before last week of the season

Is the bridge QB on the roster?

The biggest storyline coming out of Cleveland this season has been how big of a letdown Deshaun Watson was on offense. He was 32nd in passer rating and 31st in QBR all while never throwing for 200 yards in a game. After a season-ending Achilles injury in week 7, the Deshaun Watson era is about officially over. The Browns' next step is to find the franchise QB. Unfortunately for the Browns, this isn't a problem that can be solved in free agency or via a trade, they will have to go through the draft.

Drafting a quarterback is only part of the problem. They still need to find the quarterback that will help mentor the rookie and be good enough to allow him to sit and learn. Around the league, data has shown rookie quarterbacks are better off sitting instead of starting right away. Of the starting QBs in today's NFL, one could point to the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Jordan Love, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Kirk Cousins, Brock Purdy, and Jalen Hurts proving that point true.

The Browns need to figure out if the guy that going to be the bridge QB is currently on the roster. As it stands right now, the Browns have three QBs on the 53: Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Baily Zappe. Winston's flame quickly burnt out two weeks ago in a three-interception game vs the Chargers, but Kevin Stefanski announced he would start going forward.

A loud minority of fans will shout for Thompson-Robinson to make his 4th career start, although he can't stay healthy and is turnover-prone. Zappe is the most unknown of the group but his resume in New England certainly doesn't make a case for him to start unless the two players are hurt.

With eight games on the schedule the Browns have plenty of time to figure out if any of the three are worth keeping. If neither of them prove they can start at the beginning of next season, look for Cleveland to sign a backup in March.

Can the current coaching staff fix the run game?

In today's NFL, everyone is fixated on the most important position in all of sports, the quarterback. Now while it's very fair for Watson to bear the blame for one of the worst offenses in football this year, the run game has been equally awful. The 91 rush yards they gain per game is the lowest the franchise has seen since 2013 and they have yet to have a 100-yard rusher this season. The most ever in a game was Jerome Ford back in week two with 64 yards.

This is wildly problematic for Kevin Stefanski's offense because it is one based around play action, something that can't succeed without a consistent run game. Last year when the offense was the 10th highest scoring in the league, the Browns had an average of 68 passing yards per game via playaction. This year is a completely different story as their play action passing yards per game is measly 47 yards. This isn't for lack of trying either, although Cleveland is 17th in the league in play action yards, they have the 6th most playaction attempts in the league.

If the Browns truly want their new franchise QB to succeed, they need to give him a run game he can rely on. Few elite signal callers can get away with a subpar run game, let alone a rookie. In a presser on Monday, Kevin Stefanski says they have looked internally as to why the run game hasn't worked, which also includes the scheme.

With the offensive line being the healthiest it has been all year and Nick Chubb being back in the lineup, the Browns have their best chance to find out what works in the run game. You have to remember the reason new additions like Ken Dorsey, Andy Dickerson, and Duce Staley were brought in, was to help the struggling run game that was last year. Now it's in worse shape in 2024, so there's a possibility jobs are on the line.

Assess the defensive backs.

Of course, NFL general managers are assessing every position at any given time but when a team is 2-7 with little to no shot at the playoffs, it's time to get a head start. A position group that is surrounded by question marks after this season is the defensive backs.

To be clear, this isn't a shot at how the group played this year. Yes, it's been inconsistent, but the Browns only gave up over 250 yards passing in a game twice and have yet to have a quarterback throw over the 300 mark. This is purely an acknowledgment of how different this room will look come 2025

For starters, unless he changes his mind, safety Rodney McLeod, the team's leading scorer in defensive touchdowns and a vocal presence in the locker room is retiring after this season. To make matters less ideal safety Juan Thornhill hinted this season might be his last in Cleveland, communicating his uncertainty over social media. He's right to be uncertain though considering he has zero guaranteed money in 2025 with void years starting in 2026. Now add in the long-term health of Denzel Ward, who just got his 7th concussion and the decision of whether to extend Martin Emerson or Greg Newsome.

Now while pulling starters and going full tank mode cannot happen, the Browns do need to see what depth they have in the secondary. Former undrafted free agent Ronnie Hickman saw some snaps this year but has struggled since the playoff game vs Houston. 2nd-year cornerback Cameron Mitchell is another name to keep your eye on as well who had a big role last year. Can either of them prove they can fill the holes next year, or will defensive back be a position of need come March?

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