Six thoughts on six things concerning the Browns:

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*HE’S BACK — It’s clear now, with the way he’s been playing, the injury to Kenny Pickett and the fact that it would be a disservice to push a rookie in Shadeur Sanders into the job, that quarterback Joe Flacco will be under center for the Browns in their regular-season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. I love this probability because I love this guy and the fact that the Browns were finally smart enough to re-sign him after unfortunately letting him get away for a season so as to not put pressure on the pervert known as Deshaun Watson. Flacco is a professional quarterback. And with that, then, if I hear anyone, especially Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, say that he must cut down on his turnovers, I am going to get sick to my stomach. That’s who he is. He tries to make plays, and goodness knows that this team desperately needs a quarterback — a professional one at that — who can make plays. Balance his production against those picks and you’ll see that the Browns offense, and the Browns overall, are so much further ahead with him in there.

*A TWO-MAN PACKAGE? — I’d love to see the Browns use both Flacco AND Sanders once the regular season rolls around. Use Flacco, of course, for almost all of the game, for that gives them the best chance to win, but also have a series or two with Sanders in there to change things up and give opposing defenses something else — something totally different — to think about.

*FOR COMPARISON’S SAKE, PART ONE — The new Browns — those of the expansion era — will someday have produced two Pro Football Hall of Famers. The first is already there in left tackle Joe Thomas, who was as good off the field as on it character-wise. The second, who will likely go in as a first-ballot guy, is defensive end Myles Garrett, who is as much of a wrecker off the field as on it. That’s a really bad look for the current Browns. Strike one.

*FOR COMPARISON’S SAKE, PART TWO — Garrett is already one of the best Browns ever, at any position. Third baseman Jose Ramirez is already one of the best players ever, at any position, in Cleveland baseball history. Ramirez is a gem off the field as well. That is another bad look for the current Browns. Strike two.

*FOR COMPARISON’S SAKE, PART THREE — Browns head coaches from Romeo Crennel to “Hilarious” Hue Jackson never had to worry about Thomas doing the right thing at night when he was away from the facility in regards to his preparation to play well. Stefanski was already on pins and needles concerning Garrett, and now will be even more so. That’s yet another bad look for the current Browns. Strike Three.

AND FINALLY, OF THINGS BIG AND SMALL — There’s a centuries-old adage, borne out of faith, which, by the way, is a great way for anything to be borne, is that if a person can be trusted to do little things well, it can be trusted to do big things well, and vice-versa. So, then, and I have to preface this by saying I really like the man, if we can’t trust Garrett to do the little things well, in this case using common sense and refraining from driving his car irresponsibly after he has already erred in that regard seven previous times, then how can we trust him to do the big things well in being laser-focused in his preparation for, hopefully someday, the AFC Championship Game with the Browns’ first Super Bowl berth on the line? You’re out on strikes.

Steve King

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