The Browns were a trendy Super Bowl pick back in 2019 but fell well short of those massive expectations. 2020 can be a very different season for Cleveland.
Not many NFL teams have the talent to go from 6-10 one season to a Super Bowl champion the next. Fortunately for fans in Northeast Ohio, their Browns have the roster to make just that kind of massive leap.
The biggest change for Cleveland is at the head coaching position. Freddie Kitchens has been jettisoned in place of Kevin Stefanski. The presence of an actual adult in charge of the team should pay big dividends for the Browns.
That isn’t the only big change the front office made this summer. Cleveland was an uncharacteristically large spender in free agency. They made Austin Hooper one of the highest-paid tight ends in NFL history but signing Jack Conklin to man the right tackle position may be an even more impactful transaction.
The Browns are poised to take a major step forward in 2020. Here are five reasons why the team could go from the outhouse to the penthouse this season.
5. Nick Chubb can punish the opposition
Not many things went right for Cleveland’s offense in 2019, but the emergence of Chubb into a star running back was a real bright spot. Despite the team’s struggles to throw the ball effectively, he still managed to terrorize opponents to the tune of 1,494 rushing yards on 298 carries.
In a perfect world, the Browns won’t lean on their No. 1 running back quite so heavily this season. They still enter the 2020 campaign with the knowledge that they can rely on their ground game when things get tough. Chubb isn’t the flashiest offensive star at Stefanski’s disposal, but he might be the most reliable. His presence in the backfield gives the Browns one of the better rushing attacks in the NFL.