For your Browns Monday morning reading
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at least were not last
The NFL has evolved into an offense-driven league. As a result, each and every organization must be driven to upgrade their offense every offseason.
A roster and many coaching staffs don't remain static from year to year. Instead, changes occur. Tweaks to the lineup are necessary thanks to free agency, trades and the draft. Over the course of just a few months, a unit's capabilities can drastically differ.
The Miami Dolphins fielded the league's best offense during the 2023 campaign. They fell to 18th the following season. Conversely, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense found itself in the league's bottom 10 two seasons ago. Baker Mayfield and Co. ranked third last year.As each group takes shape, Bleacher Report assesses where it currently resides among the league's landscape now that the draft is three weeks removed and rookie minicamps have already begun.
32. New Orleans Saints
Kellen Moore has a tall task in front of him as the latest head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
Moore, who previously served as the offensive coordinator for the reigning Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles, enters a situation where the Saints' quarterback situation is unsettled, the offensive line is in flux and running back Alvin Kamara is getting older coupled with an injury history.
After Derek Carr's retirement, the Saints turn to second-round rookie Tyler Shough or sophomore quarterback Spencer Rattler. Though Shough is more likely to win the job. Yes, the the first-year signal-caller has the physical tools to play at a high level, but the soon-to-be 26-year-old rookie has an extensive injury history himself after starting only one full year at the collegiate level.
The top-10 draft selection of Kelvin Banks Jr. basically serves as a chance to right two previous first-round wrongs the Saints made along their offensive line with Trevor Penning and Taliese Fuaga. Banks isn't guaranteed to help up at left tackle, either. Some had him projected as a guard.31. Pittsburgh Steelers of now, the Pittsburgh Steelers don't have a starting quarterback. Even if Aaron Rodgers eventually commits to play for the organization, an argument can be made that the Steelers will still be searching for a starting quarterback. But he has to make that commitment first.
Beyond a vacant quarterback spot, the Steelers offense continued to take two steps forward and one-and-half steps back this offseason.
Pittsburgh made a huge splash by trading for two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf only to subsequently move last year's leading receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys.
Najee Harris left in free agency after four straight 1,000-yard campaigns. The Steelers responded by drafting Iowa's Kaleb Johnson in the second round.
Last year's first-round draft pick, Troy Fautanu, is expected back in the lineup after an injury ruined his rookie season. With Dan Moore Jr. leaving in free agency, Broderick Jones will transition from right to left tackle after a disappointing sophomore campaign.
The Steelers weren't good on offense last year. Currently, they're not significantly better in any area.30. Tennessee Tita
The Tennessee Titans are slowly trending in the right direction, starting at the quarterback position.
Cam Ward's selection with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft finally gives the organization a focal point in which to build the roster."He has a presence about him," wide receiver Chimere Dike told reporters when asked about Ward after Tennessee's first rookie minicamp. "He's a really good leader. He does it the right way . . . He has that confidence for the work he puts in."
A rookie quarterback is going to suffer through some struggles, of course. They all do to varying degrees. Tennessee helped Ward by bringing in veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett, three rookie targets in Dike, Elic Ayomanor and Gunnar Helm and solidifying the offensive line by signing left tackle Dan Moore Jr. and flipping JC Latham to his more natural spot on the right side.29. New York Jets
4he New York Jets must figure out who they want to be. With Justin Fields given a clear runway as the starting quarterback, the path should be obvious. But everyone needs to see the Jets commit to a run-based offense.
Fields is a true playmaker behind center. He's not always the most efficient passer. However, his athleticism allows an offense to do different things compared to other quarterbacks.
With a loaded backfield that includes Breece Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, the Jets have the talent to feature a ground-and-pound scheme, especially with an offensive line that now looks complete after Armand Membou's selection with this year's seventh overall draft pick.
As long as Fields can get the ball to wide receiver Garrett Wilson with some regularity, this unit has surprising upside. It falls upon the quarterback to prove he can be the caliber of starter he always saw himself as.28. New York Giants
waiting game will ensue with this year's New York Giants. Everyone will be waiting to see when the organization decides its time to start first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart since it's obvious that veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston are nothing more than placeholders.“Three coaches on staff (head coach Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney) that have been part of the development of two pretty good quarterbacks in the league right now (Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen)," Giants general manager Joe Schoen said during an interview on Up and Adams, "and when they are convicted on a player and the scouting staff is convicted on a player, typically you have the best chance for success in those situations.”
Interestingly, neither of those aforementioned quarterbacks opened their rookie seasons as starters. Allen didn't take long to get into the lineup, while Mahomes happened much later in the process.
With Malik Nabers, Wan'Dale Robinson and running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. as a young skill position performers to build around Dart, the Giants may be wasting time by waiting too long to insert this year's 25th overall pick into the lineup.27. Cleveland Browns
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AP Photo/Sue OgrockiCleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel
The Cleveland Browns offense looking drastically different in 2025 compared to the previous season is an understatement.
Quarterback Jameis Winston. Gone.
Running back Nick Chubb. Gone.
Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. Gone.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore. Gone.
Offensive coordinator Kenny Dorsey. Gone.
Deshaun Watson. Hurt (and unlikely to ever play for the team again).
Those names are simply the headliners and don't encompass every contributor who's no longer with the Browns.
At this juncture, head coach/play-caller Kevin Stefanski needs a hard reset and re-establish some kind of identity for his offense. It'll likely come in the form of the run game after Cleveland added Ohio State's Quinshon Judkins and Tennessee's Dylan Sampson in the draft' second and fourth rounds, respectively.
All the while, the Browns will hope a quality quarterback emerges from the quartet of Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.At this juncture, head coach/play-caller Kevin Stefanski needs a hard reset and re-establish some kind of identity for his offense. It'll likely come in the form of the run game after Cleveland added Ohio State's Quinshon Judkins and Tennessee's Dylan Sampson in the draft' second and fourth rounds, respectively.
All the while, the Browns will hope a quality quarterback emerges from the quartet of Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.And somehow, navigating through the season while determining if the team needs to use one or both of it's 1st round picks for a QB next April. It's nice that Sanders fell to them...but it added an extra layer of complexity to the season.
BEING A BROWNS FAN IS A TEST TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU CAN TAKE -
At this juncture, head coach/play-caller Kevin Stefanski needs a hard reset and re-establish some kind of identity for his offense. It'll likely come in the form of the run game after Cleveland added Ohio State's Quinshon Judkins and Tennessee's Dylan Sampson in the draft' second and fourth rounds, respectively.
All the while, the Browns will hope a quality quarterback emerges from the quartet of Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.And somehow, navigating through the season while determining if the team needs to use one or both of it's 1st round picks for a QB next April. It's nice that Sanders fell to them...but it added an extra layer of complexity to the season.
It's nice that Sanders fell to them...but it added an extra layer of complexity to the season.
Something I'm happy to have vs the QB situations we've had lately.
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Something I'm happy to have vs the QB situations we've had lately.
Understood. We threw two of the better QB's in the college draft at our BIGGEST problem without using a 1st or 2nd round pick. It's awfully hard to complain about that tactic. (but yours truly always finds a way) ?
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Something I'm happy to have vs the QB situations we've had lately.
Understood. We threw two of the better QB's in the college draft at our BIGGEST problem without using a 1st or 2nd round pick. It's awfully hard to complain about that tactic. (but yours truly always finds a way) ?
Understood. We threw two of the better QB's in the college draft at our BIGGEST problem without using a 1st or 2nd round pick. It's awfully hard to complain about that tactic. (but yours truly always finds a way) ?
What I'm worried about is that Sanders (or possibly Gabriel) shows just enough this season to make the Browns think they found their QB and that they don't take one next draft, and Sanders or Gabriel end up being Fool's Gold.
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Understood. We threw two of the better QB's in the college draft at our BIGGEST problem without using a 1st or 2nd round pick. It's awfully hard to complain about that tactic. (but yours truly always finds a way) ?
What I'm worried about is that Sanders (or possibly Gabriel) shows just enough this season to make the Browns think they found their QB and that they don't take one next draft, and Sanders or Gabriel end up being Fool's Gold.
What I'm worried about is that Sanders (or possibly Gabriel) shows just enough this season to make the Browns think they found their QB and that they don't take one next draft, and Sanders or Gabriel end up being Fool's Gold.
Okay; but who is this college football messiah that's transcending his current football program to all new heights to assure us he's the right guy for the Cleveland Browns? In the 3 years Klubnik has started at Clemson - how many times have they lost less than 4 games? Zero. Yes, he can put together good stats in a conference that provides a lot of junk time gimmes. McCord and Pickett have shown us as much. Isn't this why the starting QB at UGA the last 2 years decided he wanted to leave the SEC for Miami and the easier competition in the ACC? He's gotta get those INTs down right? Cam Ward was just drafted 1st overall from Miami so why not?
The 2 QBs that transcended the Miami Hurricanes back in the day were Jim Kelly and Bernie Kosar. One went on to lead the Bills to 4 Super Bowl appearances while the other went on to lead the Browns to 3 AFC Championship Games. Kosar was the won that won a National Championship when he led his team over the favored Nebraska Cornhuskers. Evidence of QB with the magic existed with the last QB the Browns got right albeit necessitating the Supplemental Draft to get him.
Don't take this the wrong way - but if one or both of the 2 QBs the Browns drafted shows some good signs early - that doesn't have to be Fool's Gold. Another part of this whole thing is having the right offensive staff here like say adding OC Lindy Infante in the off-season leading into the 86 season the Browns won 12 regular season games. That mattered in expediting Bernie's progress. Hopefully Tommy Rees is a big help to Stefanski and his young QBs. If both guys suck, Arch Manning ain't coming here...
I welcome the only Defensive Coordinator to earn a Superbowl Ring in New Orleans while understanding Revenge of the Nerds is a sequel. "Come get some!" -
At the end of the 3rd round, and for about a day, our hope was that we had drafted a QB that's good enough to be next year's backup QB for the foreseeable future. Then towards the beginning of the 5th round the universe twitched, and our new hope was that one of these two QB's would be good enough to be a legit starter, such that we could turn our attention to other needs next April. - That's where I'm at right now. I just don't know if one season is enough to find that out...without one of them just jumping off of the practice tape at you.
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Cleveland Browns News / Browns Nation / 39 minutes ago -
Cleveland Browns News / Browns Nation / 39 minutes ago
“The Browns believe between their own first-round pick in 2026 and Jacksonville’s (likely to be high), they can find a QB in the draft. If something happens and Kenny Pickett revives his career or one of the rookies surprises and becomes an effective starter, they can use the pair of first-rounders in 2026 to fill other needs,” Pluto wrote.
-----Yup. And we're sitting here waiting to see which way it plays out.
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Cleveland Browns News / Browns Nation / 39 minutes ago
“The Browns believe between their own first-round pick in 2026 and Jacksonville’s (likely to be high), they can find a QB in the draft. If something happens and Kenny Pickett revives his career or one of the rookies surprises and becomes an effective starter, they can use the pair of first-rounders in 2026 to fill other needs,” Pluto wrote.
-----Yup. And we're sitting here waiting to see which way it plays out.
“The Browns believe between their own first-round pick in 2026 and Jacksonville’s (likely to be high), they can find a QB in the draft. If something happens and Kenny Pickett revives his career or one of the rookies surprises and becomes an effective starter, they can use the pair of first-rounders in 2026 to fill other needs,” Pluto wrote.
-----Yup. And we're sitting here waiting to see which way it plays out.
LOL! And I already knew that as an "outsider" without even having to consult any tea leaves.??
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What I'm worried about is that Sanders (or possibly Gabriel) shows just enough this season to make the Browns think they found their QB and that they don't take one next draft, and Sanders or Gabriel end up being Fool's Gold.
Okay; but who is this college football messiah that's transcending his current football program to all new heights to assure us he's the right guy for the Cleveland Browns? In the 3 years Klubnik has started at Clemson - how many times have they lost less than 4 games? Zero. Yes, he can put together good stats in a conference that provides a lot of junk time gimmes. McCord and Pickett have shown us as much. Isn't this why the starting QB at UGA the last 2 years decided he wanted to leave the SEC for Miami and the easier competition in the ACC? He's gotta get those INTs down right? Cam Ward was just drafted 1st overall from Miami so why not?
The 2 QBs that transcended the Miami Hurricanes back in the day were Jim Kelly and Bernie Kosar. One went on to lead the Bills to 4 Super Bowl appearances while the other went on to lead the Browns to 3 AFC Championship Games. Kosar was the won that won a National Championship when he led his team over the favored Nebraska Cornhuskers. Evidence of QB with the magic existed with the last QB the Browns got right albeit necessitating the Supplemental Draft to get him.
Don't take this the wrong way - but if one or both of the 2 QBs the Browns drafted shows some good signs early - that doesn't have to be Fool's Gold. Another part of this whole thing is having the right offensive staff here like say adding OC Lindy Infante in the off-season leading into the 86 season the Browns won 12 regular season games. That mattered in expediting Bernie's progress. Hopefully Tommy Rees is a big help to Stefanski and his young QBs. If both guys suck, Arch Manning ain't coming here...
Okay; but who is this college football messiah that's transcending his current football program to all new heights to assure us he's the right guy for the Cleveland Browns? In the 3 years Klubnik has started at Clemson - how many times have they lost less than 4 games? Zero. Yes, he can put together good stats in a conference that provides a lot of junk time gimmes. McCord and Pickett have shown us as much. Isn't this why the starting QB at UGA the last 2 years decided he wanted to leave the SEC for Miami and the easier competition in the ACC? He's gotta get those INTs down right? Cam Ward was just drafted 1st overall from Miami so why not?
The 2 QBs that transcended the Miami Hurricanes back in the day were Jim Kelly and Bernie Kosar. One went on to lead the Bills to 4 Super Bowl appearances while the other went on to lead the Browns to 3 AFC Championship Games. Kosar was the won that won a National Championship when he led his team over the favored Nebraska Cornhuskers. Evidence of QB with the magic existed with the last QB the Browns got right albeit necessitating the Supplemental Draft to get him.
Don't take this the wrong way - but if one or both of the 2 QBs the Browns drafted shows some good signs early - that doesn't have to be Fool's Gold. Another part of this whole thing is having the right offensive staff here like say adding OC Lindy Infante in the off-season leading into the 86 season the Browns won 12 regular season games. That mattered in expediting Bernie's progress. Hopefully Tommy Rees is a big help to Stefanski and his young QBs. If both guys suck, Arch Manning ain't coming here...
So basically you are saying that we better hope one of these mid-rounders we drafted pan out because no one in what probably will be regarded as a far better QB class will be able to help the Browns out?
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“The Browns believe between their own first-round pick in 2026 and Jacksonville’s (likely to be high), they can find a QB in the draft. If something happens and Kenny Pickett revives his career or one of the rookies surprises and becomes an effective starter, they can use the pair of first-rounders in 2026 to fill other needs,” Pluto wrote.
-----Yup. And we're sitting here waiting to see which way it plays out.
LOL! And I already knew that as an "outsider" without even having to consult any tea leaves.??
LOL! And I already knew that as an "outsider" without even having to consult any tea leaves.??
Right! And we've been saying it, among other things. And that's why I highlighted it here because it's verification of things that we're saying. And we're only stating the obvious.
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Okay; but who is this college football messiah that's transcending his current football program to all new heights to assure us he's the right guy for the Cleveland Browns? In the 3 years Klubnik has started at Clemson - how many times have they lost less than 4 games? Zero. Yes, he can put together good stats in a conference that provides a lot of junk time gimmes. McCord and Pickett have shown us as much. Isn't this why the starting QB at UGA the last 2 years decided he wanted to leave the SEC for Miami and the easier competition in the ACC? He's gotta get those INTs down right? Cam Ward was just drafted 1st overall from Miami so why not?
The 2 QBs that transcended the Miami Hurricanes back in the day were Jim Kelly and Bernie Kosar. One went on to lead the Bills to 4 Super Bowl appearances while the other went on to lead the Browns to 3 AFC Championship Games. Kosar was the won that won a National Championship when he led his team over the favored Nebraska Cornhuskers. Evidence of QB with the magic existed with the last QB the Browns got right albeit necessitating the Supplemental Draft to get him.
Don't take this the wrong way - but if one or both of the 2 QBs the Browns drafted shows some good signs early - that doesn't have to be Fool's Gold. Another part of this whole thing is having the right offensive staff here like say adding OC Lindy Infante in the off-season leading into the 86 season the Browns won 12 regular season games. That mattered in expediting Bernie's progress. Hopefully Tommy Rees is a big help to Stefanski and his young QBs. If both guys suck, Arch Manning ain't coming here...
So basically you are saying that we better hope one of these mid-rounders we drafted pan out because no one in what probably will be regarded as a far better QB class will be able to help the Browns out?
So basically you are saying that we better hope one of these mid-rounders we drafted pan out because no one in what probably will be regarded as a far better QB class will be able to help the Browns out?
I am INDEED! Next year is a copout. How many more decades dominated by the elusive next year mentality do you want to go? The Browns have won 1 playoff game in the last 30 years with this mentality. After going 1-15 in 2016 they went 0-16 in 2017.
As piss poor as 3-14 football was in 2024 - there was already a QB selected when the Browns were on the clock trading their 2nd overall choice to Jax. To draft the top QB prospect next year - it sure seems like they'll have to have to do worse than 3-14 to earn the pick of the litter.
If Klubnik is the missing football messiah here, - why is Clemson losing 4 games a year all 3 years he started in a weak conference? That used to be a bad year for that football program not so long ago. So WHO is this football messiah at QB in the draft that will come to Cleveland and change everything in 2026?
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I agree. Forget next year. Between Pickett, Gabe, and Sanders, one of them is going to be a good QB.
You don't need flash. You just need good.
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Cleveland Browns News / Browns Nation / 1 hour ago
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Wow. ?
Wow. ?
?
Forget next year. Between Pickett, Gabe, and Sanders, one of them is going to be a good QB.
Next year is a copout.
I'd used that 'next year is a copout' phrase leading up to the draft. But by the end of the Friday night draft, the plan was spelled out to us that we were doing the 'QB thing' next year with his backup already in place. THEN we drafted Sanders. The 'cop out' now goes away because the attitude has shifted to, Are one of these two the franchise QB?
They liked Gabriel. But in Sanders they got the guy that supposedly had the highest floor. It's not Next Year anymore. It's This Year to fix the QB position. ( unless the 2 QB's don't show anything...in which case it'll be Next Year...but we won't know that until January approaches )
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Wow. ?
?
Forget next year. Between Pickett, Gabe, and Sanders, one of them is going to be a good QB.
Next year is a copout.
I'd used that 'next year is a copout' phrase leading up to the draft. But by the end of the Friday night draft, the plan was spelled out to us that we were doing the 'QB thing' next year with his backup already in place. THEN we drafted Sanders. The 'cop out' now goes away because the attitude has shifted to, Are one of these two the franchise QB?
They liked Gabriel. But in Sanders they got the guy that supposedly had the highest floor. It's not Next Year anymore. It's This Year to fix the QB position. ( unless the 2 QB's don't show anything...in which case it'll be Next Year...but we won't know that until January approaches )
?
I'd used that 'next year is a copout' phrase leading up to the draft. But by the end of the Friday night draft, the plan was spelled out to us that we were doing the 'QB thing' next year with his backup already in place. THEN we drafted Sanders. The 'cop out' now goes away because the attitude has shifted to, Are one of these two the franchise QB?
They liked Gabriel. But in Sanders they got the guy that supposedly had the highest floor. It's not Next Year anymore. It's This Year to fix the QB position. ( unless the 2 QB's don't show anything...in which case it'll be Next Year...but we won't know that until January approaches )
If we listen guys that played in the NFL like HOF TE Shannon Sharpe who started in multiple SBs - he thought Sheduer is a 1st round talent and clearly the most accurate QB in the draft. He and others know that around the time of the last SB Deion was running his mouth about a cluster of teams he didn't want Shedeur playing for. The problem with that was - those were all the teams needing QBs. The Browns were also aware of his prior comments about the Browns. So.... When round 5 came and the ENTIRE league showed Deion - your son will play where the league says he will play.
I think we got a 1st round talent in Shedeur regardless of how unpopular it is to say that. Having said that, I'm also quite fond of Dillon Gabriel even before the draft.
It's a little early to stick a fork in them because there might be good QBs in 2026 IMO.
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I wouldn't read too much into the title, but apparently he's not looking like what they paid for him. Remember, we would have been critical just paying the 2nd pick for him....imagine the disappointment you would be feeling for how much Jax paid.
I'm sure he will be a star, but Ohanti might have been Kevin's sales pitch rather than his true feelings.
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Cleveland Browns News / Browns Nation / 1 hour ago
I would add a 3rd rookie game changer, a much needed TE with the added abilities of WR and slot. To our rookie QBs Fannin,Jr will be a "fixer".
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Cleveland Browns News / Browns Nation / 1 hour ago
I would add a 3rd rookie game changer, a much needed TE with the added abilities of WR and slot. To our rookie QBs Fannin,Jr will be a "fixer".
I would add a 3rd rookie game changer, a much needed TE with the added abilities of WR and slot. To our rookie QBs Fannin,Jr will be a "fixer".
You beat me to it Aggies. I just posted the same thing in the Unofficial 2025 Pre-Training Camp Roster & Depth Charts thread.
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