With the way things have gone for them so far this year, the Browns are being analyzed in every way imaginable .
 
Everybody and their uncle is trying to figure out why the team is playing so poorly.
 
But is that really necessary? Is it that hard to come up with the main reason for this nightmarish start?
 
Not at all. It’s easy, really.
 
Their problems can be almost totally explained by their incredible struggles in the early part of the NFL Draft. It’s no more complicated than that.
 
The draft is the lifeblood of any team, so when those prime picks are bungled, it really sets a franchise back. And when there’s a whiff with a quarterback, it’s even worse. It’s catastrophic.
 
With that in mind, then, let’s look at the Browns’ first-round selections from 2011-15:
 
*2011 – No. 21 overall – defensive tackle Phil Taylor.
 
*2012 – No. 3 overall – running back Trent Richardson; No. 22 overall – quarterback Brandon Weeden.
 
*2013 – No. 6 overall – linebacker Barkevious Mingo.
 
*2014 – No. 8 overall – cornerback Justin Gilbert; No. 22 overall – quarterback Johnny Manziel.
 
*2015 – No. 12 overall – defensive lineman Danny Shelton; No. 19 overall – offensive lineman Cameron Erving.
 
Of these eight first-round selections over the last five drafts, three (Taylor, Richardson and Weeden) are no longer with the club, two (Mingo and Shelton) are starting but not making much of an impact, one (Gilbert) is buried on the bench with no seeming light at the end of the tunnel and the other two (Manziel and Erving) are waiting for an opportunity.
 
To get so little – almost nothing, really – from so many first-round picks over such a long period is an indictment of all the team’s general managers, scouts and decision-makers during that time. You have to work really hard to be that bad. In fact, it’s almost as difficult to be that bad as it is to be really good. After all, the law of averages have to catch up to you at some point, doesn’t it?
 
In essence, then, the Browns have been their own worst enemy. They have hurt themselves much, much more than the AFC North’s other teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, have hurt them.
 
Until this changes – by almost 180 degrees, really – this cycle of losing isn’t going to change.
 
So save yourself some trouble. Don’t rack your brain trying to figure out what’s wrong. The answer is right there in front of you.