Despite being one of the worst teams in the league last season, with a 3-14 record that resulted in holding the second overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, there appears to be some disparity of how the Cleveland Browns are viewed when it comes to their competitive timeline.
Some believe that the Browns from two years ago are a better representation of their talent level than last season, but others realize that this aging and expensive roster has plenty of holes and are not a player or two away from competing.
This isn't a situation where all it takes is competent and likely boring quarterback play under head coach Kevin Stefanski's previous offensive system to get them back on track.
Quarterback is just one of several issues on this roster that must be addressed this offseason, a task that becomes increasingly difficult with Cleveland's self-inflicted salary cap issues in addition to an incoming quarterback class that is quite underwhelming.
Cleveland's offensive line is not the strength it once was
One area in particular that is not being discussed enough is the state of Cleveland's offensive line. Even at full health, this is a group that would need everything to go right in order to be average, and unfortunately, that is just a not realistic expectation to place upon a group with three of their best linemen being on the other side of 30.
The Browns will need to find a new starting left tackle, as there are not any currently capable of at that position full time on the roster. Jedrick Wills is clearly not the answer at left tackle, and Dawand Jones looks very much the part of a backup lineman. Of course, there is one more factor at play here which could prove to be a major issue for Cleveland's immediate future.
Read more: Where the Browns offensive line stands heading into offseason
This is before accounting for Joel Bitionio's possible retirement this offseason. If Bitonio were to retire, Cleveland would need replacements for two-fifths of their starting offensive line at minimum, and it is incredibly difficult to expect any amount of success with that taking place.
The Myles Garrett situation
The story of the offseason in Cleveland is how everything plays out between the Browns and Myles Garrett. Anyone with a working set of eyes and ears can tell he has played his last down as a Brown, as evidenced by him publicly burning every bridge back to the team that drafted him with the first overall pick in 2017.
While general manager Andrew Berry and the Browns have stated that they have zero intention of trading Garrett this offseason, it certainly seems like it is going to happen. Every team in the NFL will be calling Cleveland constantly in an attempt to acquire Garett's services, gauging the Browns' interest level of the trade packages being offered.
If and when Garrett is traded, Cleveland will be in a position where they have to piece together a defensive front, which will more than likely be a feeble attempt to make up for his lost production and impact. It is incredibly rare for a team to still be successful once they lose someone of Garrett's caliber, with this current version of the Browns looking incapable of being one of the few exceptions.
Other areas of concern
The status of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah moving forward is not yet known after sustaining a neck injury in October and would miss the rest of the season. Considering the nature of the injury and the relative mystery regarding his playing future, it would be best for the Browns to operate as if he will not be available to them.
Cleveland's running back room is in a state of transition, and the potential departure of Nick Chubb in free agency could signal the start of a new era. Chubb will turn 30 before the calendar year is over, and the way he looked following his second major left knee injury was not encouraging.
Cleveland could bring him back in an attempt to win over some fans, but Chubb's days as a primary ballcarrier appear to be behind him.
This is not a quick-fix situation for the Browns
Even setting aside Garrett's trade request and assessing the state of the rest of the roster only, the state of the Browns is highly concerning. There simply are not enough good players on this team to think they are capable of being anything more than a basement-dwelling team yet again.
To solve the problems the Browns created themselves will require a thoroughly calculated and multiple-year approach.
Attempting to be competitive in the upcoming season by way of unnecessary contract restructures and spreading more money out over void years is only going to make their current problems last longer than they should.
Hopefully, the Ivy League front office in Berea recognizes this and acts accordingly by building a team with multiple years in mind rather than foolishly attempting to compete when they're clearly not ready. With that being said, it may not be best for one to get their hopes up, considering the way the organization has operated under this current regime.