For the first time in years, it looks like the Cleveland Browns are building their team the right way. They're laying a strong foundation with promising young players, strengthening the trenches, and revamping the offense.
Against all odds, the Todd Monken hire has brought back hope to Northeast Ohio. He wasn't one of the more flashy, young candidates, but he's already gone to great lengths to build a winning culture and establish a no-nonsense approach to preparation.
However, this is just the beginning. As Browns analyst Zac Jackson of The Athletic pointed out, there are as many reasons to be optimistic as skeptical. That's why the Browns must take care of their most pressing issues before taking the field this season.
"Right now, the Browns have lots of ongoing battles. The rookies represent optimism. The drops, the interceptions and the dubious past are reasons to remain skeptical," Jackson wrote after watching the early stages of the QB competition unfold in OTAs.
The Browns still have plenty of work to do ahead of Week 1
The Browns can't be taken seriously as a contender until they finally get things right at quarterback, but they can take big steps to ensure everything else is in place for when they find their guy. That's what this season should be all about.
The wide receivers must work on their hands; they can't afford to be drive-killers again this season. As for the interceptions, whoever wins the quarterback job should be able to get into a rhythm with more first-team reps after splitting them early on in the offseason. It's not an ideal situation, clearly, but it's not a catastrophe either.
The Browns seem to have a plan. More importantly, the head coach and the general manager seem to be on the same page about what they need to build a winning, sustainable product. That cannot be overlooked or understated, especially given how things fared for most of the Kevin Stefanski era.
That said, fans would be wise to temper their expectations. Monken has already made it loud and clear that winning is the only way to turn the narrative around, and he's already set playoff expectations for this team.
They will face an easier slate of opponents in 2026, so technically, that's not out of the question. However, oddsmakers didn't do this team any favors by having them play multiple games on the road in the first half of the season, and with a new offense and a new set of weapons, this team might get off to a slow start. It would be understandable, and there would be no need to sound the alarms.
It's hard to feel optimistic when this franchise keeps finding ways to shoot itself in the foot. It's also tough to demand patience from a fan base that has stayed with this team through thick and thin and that deserves better after so many years of struggle.
Still, as much as some teams have turned their franchises around overnight with new hires, that's the exception, not the rule. Some of those head coaches are one-hit wonders and fail to find consistency, and that's not what you want.
There will be growing pains, ebbs, and flows; that's just how things go when there's a new regime in place. Most of the team's playmakers will be rookies or second-year players, and there's only so much they can do. Contrary to what Monken may have said, this season's success shouldn't be measured by wins and losses but by everything in between. This time, the process and the journey will be as important as the destination.
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