The Cleveland Browns offseason has been a bit of a rollercoaster and a lot of things are still needing to be figured out. The team opened the offseason with some big needs at wide receiver, defensive line and special teams.
They jumped early with the trade acquisition of Amari Cooper then added Taven Bryan (free agent) and Chase Winovich (trading Mack Wilson) to start to address those needs. Special teams was addressed with the signing of returner Jakeem Grant but a kicker and punter would be nice additions as well.
There were some big subtractions with Jarvis Landry, Austin Hooper, J.C. Tretter and Case Keenum all moving on from the offense while Jadeveon Clowney and Ronnie Harrison still remain free agents from the defense.
The biggest move was the trade for Deshaun Watson. The pursuit and acquisition of Watson has had a ripple effect on the team’s former starting quarterback, Baker Mayfield.
Through all of it, primarily because of the additions of Watson and Cooper, the Browns have had great improvement compared to the rest of the league. Pro Football Focus’ “Improvement Index” has them with the fifth most improvement:
Massive shift in the @PFF offseason Improvement Index with Matt Ryan projecting as a significant upgrade over Carson Wentz for the Colts in 2022. The Falcons fall to near the bottom, even with the signing of Marcus Mariotahttps://t.co/bKefi6Q84y pic.twitter.com/so7LkJ2rgF
— Kevin Cole (@KevinColePFF) March 22, 2022
The top six, and nine of the top 10, come from the AFC with only Washington sneaking in among that group. The gap between Cleveland and Denver is quite big for the top spot but the next four are more closely bunched before a drop-off to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Despite a rocky 2021 season, including injuries, drama and COVID-related problems, the Browns were not far off from the playoffs. If PFF’s index is right, Cleveland fans could start planning their playoff plans for the 2022 season.
There are still a lot of moves left to be made including the NFL draft next month but the Browns are off to a good start according to one media site.
