Will the Browns be twice as good in 2017 as they were last season?
Yes, says Jonathan Jones, an NFL writer for sportsillustrated.com.
In a piece that debuted on Wednesday, Jones predicted the records of all the league’s teams based on what they’ve done so far in the offseason in free agency and the NFL Draft.
With that, then, he picks the Browns to go 2-14 this season, which would be double their number of victories from last year when they finished an NFL- and franchise-worst 1-15.
Here’s what he says about the Browns:
“There’s cause for some optimism in Cleveland, but you have to know this season won’t bear much fruit in terms of wins. The Browns strengthened their offensive line and continued to add to their receiving corps even after years of mistakes at that position. They didn’t screw up the top pick and got versatile Jabrill Peppers. I appreciate Cleveland not forcing the issue at quarterback, but I have a bad feeling that Brock Osweiler will be the starting quarterback in week 1.
“Pivotal game: Week 11 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars. I considered being sarcastic and saying there is no pivotal game on the schedule for the Browns this year. But remember the emotion in head coach Hue Jackson’s face when they beat the San Diego Chargers on Christmas Eve 2016? Cleveland has to build on that one-win season in order for tanking to work. There aren’t many Ws on the schedule, but Jacksonville is the first winnable game for the Browns.”
Jones writes that the New England Patriots (13-3), Green Bay Packers (13-3) and Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) “are among the best teams in the NFL, and they will profit from weaker divisions. They are the only teams I could give at least 12 wins.”
Also in the AFC North, he has the Baltimore Ravens at 9-7 and the Cincinnati Bengals at 8-8.
Along with the Browns, he has both the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears at 2-14.
The Bears’ pivotal game is week 16 against the Browns.
“It could decide who’s picking first and second in the 2018 NFL Draft,” Jones writes.
Other top records are both the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants at 9-7 in the NFC East, both the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals at 10-6 in the NFC West, the Detroit Lions at 9-7 in the NFC North, both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons at 10-6 and the Carolina Panthers at 9-7 in the NFC South, the Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs all at 11-5 in the AFC West and the Tennessee Titans at 10-6 in the AFC South.
We’ll see what happens, but in the first half of May, with the start of training camp still 2½ months away, it’s fun to think about.
