All the right moves – feels like 1985 – ’86
By STEVE KING
It is incredibly different from so many other times in this fitful, nightmarish expansion era, as this current Browns front office seems to be making all of the right decisions and moves — or pretty darn close to it, anyway.
Other than not signing an edge rusher, a real area of need, the Browns have filled a lot of holes in free agency in the last week. They went into it desperately looking for help in the secondary, especially at safety, and got it — in a big way, and also at linebacker, though a little less desperate, and did some good things there as well.
The defensive line needed upgrades, and there were some there, too, only, again, not at edge rusher, which means the Browns will seemingly try to get one high in the NFL Draft, where the supply is supposed to be deep and talented. I could even see them moving up in the first round to get one if there’s someone they really like — someone they feel stands alone, away from the pack.
I have faith in the Browns’ top men to find the right player. In their two years on the job, they’ve pretty much been flawless.
Indeed, when’s the last time you could say that with the Browns, especially over any appreciable length of time?
The answer? It was back in the mid-1980s, specifically 1985 and ’86.
The Browns were making a lot of changes as they came out of 1984 and tried to build a contender. They finished a disappointing 5-11 that year after being picked before the season to win the AFC Central. The Kardiac Kids of the late 1970s and early ’80s were fading away, either retiring, going elsewhere to try to play another year or getting fired, as was the case with the architect of that era, head coach Sam Rutigliano, was dismissed midway through the year with the team at 1-8 and going nowhere. It was because, ironically, of a lack of offense, particularly at quarterback, where Paul McDonald was proving he was no Brian Sipe. Offense had always been the KIds’ calling card, but the 1984 Browns couldn’t score enough points to win tight, defensive-minded contests. Indeed, the Browns had a lot of pieces on defense, with players like Clay Mattyhews, Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield. They just needed a few more of them, plus a lot of help on offense, particularly at wide receiver.
The process started where any rebuilding process starts, at quarterback, where the Browns worked their way through the 1985 NFL Supplemental Draft to get the No. 1 overall pick, which they used to take some kid from Boardman High School — and the University of Miami — named Bernie Kosar. Perhaps you have heard of him. They didn’t really grasp the situation totally, but they already had two great running backs in Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner, and a good wide receiver in Brian Brennan. They added another talented receiver in 1985 by drafting a virtual unknown in Reggie Langhorne, and went out in 1986 and drafted their speed guy at wideout in Webster Slaughter. Those three, along with a Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end in Ozzie Neewsome, and Byner, an excellent receiver out of the backfield, gave Kosar a slew of weapons.
Bing, bing, bing, just like that, the Browns kept pushing the right buttons and making the right moves. They were like the guy with the hot hand at the poker table. They couldn’t lose.
The result was an 8-8 finish in 1985 and a division title, and another Central crown in 1986 as they finished 12-4, advanced to the AFC Championship and came within “The Drive” of making it to the Super Bowl for the first time. There were three more good seasons after that, 1987-89, completing a five-year run of great success — no Super Bowl, but still very good.
Will the current Browns repeat that performance, or hopefully exceed it? We’ll see. But just like 1985, 2020 was a turnaround year and, coupled with what is happening now in this offseason and what happened last offseason, it may be enough to eventually get the Browns to where they want to go.
It certainly has that same kind of feel, at least, which, in itself, is quite a relief.
