Browns Digest

Cleveland Browns' Brutal Offseason Blunder Coming Full Circle

The Cleveland Browns made a horrendous blunder this offseason, and it is already starting to show.
Nov 27, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski watches warm ups before the game between the Browns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Nov 27, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski watches warm ups before the game between the Browns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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The Cleveland Browns did not exactly enter the offseason with a whole lot of financial flexibility, meaning they had to rely heavily on the NFL Draft to patch some roster holes.

While the Browns had tons of issues up and down the roster, it was very clear that wide receiver was one of their biggest problems, especially after allowing Elijah Moore to walk in free agency.

Now, Cleveland has Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, Jamari Thrash and Diontae Johnson as its likely top four receivers, and outside of Jeudy, there isn't much there in terms of dependable talent.

This is where the Browns messed up royally, failing to take advantage of a draft class that was incredibly deep at the wide receiver position.

Cleveland had several opportunities to take a wide out. Instead, the Browns decided to select two running backs and two quarterbacks. One of those picks unquestionably should have gone to addressing wide receiver, but Cleveland opted against it.

It was just one of the latest questionable decisions for a Browns franchise that has been languishing for decades regardless of the regime. Heck, Cleveland passed on the opportunity to nab Travis Hunter at No. 2, instead trading down for Mason Graham.

Considering the Browns may very well be deploying one of their two rookie signal-callers at some point in 2025, the fact that they have arguably the worst receiving corps in football is especially incriminating.

There is still time for Cleveland to make a signing (26-year-old Gabe Davis is still available), and perhaps it could make a trade somewhere. But it's looking more and more like the Browns are going to be rolling into the regular season with what they have.

Think about this: the one receiver they did add (Johnson) just admitted that he quit on his team last year because it was too cold outside.

It's an odd strategy for a semi-rebuilding Cleveland squad, and it's one that will almost surely end up coming back to bite the Browns at some point.

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Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.