3 Decisions that are haunting the Cleveland Browns in 2023
By Greg Newland
10 weeks into the NFL season the Cleveland Browns have every single one of their goals ahead of them. They can still win the division, make the playoffs, and compete for a Super Bowl. But unfortunately, after news of losing Deshaun Watson, that task becomes much tougher.
On Wednesday morning the organization broke the news that his shoulder injury was severe enough that he needed to opt for surgery immediately and that continuing to play could cause life-long damage. The Browns franchise quarterback was just starting to play well and earn his $230 million guaranteed contract, which makes this an even harder pill to swallow.
While many (including me) predicted that Kevin Stefanski would turn back to P.J. Walker who won two games earlier in the season, we learned on Wednesday afternoon that the team was going back to Dorian Thompson-Robinson (DTR). DTR has one career start under his belt but was absolutely obliterated by the Ravens' defense.
In his defense, he found out Sunday morning that he would be starting his first NFL game vs. an elite defense later that day. But as the Browns prepare to move forward, here are three mistakes that will continue to haunt the team in 2023.
Cleveland Browns Decision No. 3: Not Addressing O-Line
I’ve been hard on the Cleveland Browns offensive line this year, but I think it’s warranted. And even though they haven’t given up as many sacks in the last few weeks, there are still some major issues. On top of overrated talent, injuries have also decimated the position.
Andrew Berry was in a tough position with a ton of capital already spent at the position, but this group is severely overpaid for the production. And let’s just be honest, if this offensive line was playing better there is a chance that Watson wouldn’t have been so beat up when he took the hit that will make him miss the remainder of the season.
Because the team picked up the fifth-year option of Jedrick Wills, don’t expect the position to be addressed next offseason via free agency either. If Berry wants to improve the group, it won’t be until the second round of the 2024 draft.