2021 Cleveland Browns Preview and Predictions: Post Draft Edition

(Photo Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports)

Key Players Returning:

QB Baker Mayfield, RB Nick Chubb, RB Kareem Hunt, WR Odell Beckham Jr., WR Rashad Higgins, WR/RS Donovan People-Jones, WR/PR Jarvis Landry, TE Austin Hooper, OC J.C. Tretter, OG Joel Bitonio, OG Wyatt Teller, OT Jack Conklin, OT Jedrick Wills, DE Myles Garrett, DE Porter Gustin, DT Andrew Billings, LB Malcolm Smith, LB Sione Takitaki, LB Mack Wilson, CB M.J. Stewart, CB Denzel Ward, CB Greedy Williams, FS Grant Delpit, SS Ronnie Harrison, PK Cody Parkey, and PT Jamie Gillan.

Key Players Departing:

DE Olivier Vernon (UFA), DT Larry Ogunjobi (Bengals), DT Sheldon Richardson (UFA), LB B.J. Goodson (UFA), CB Kevin Johnson (Titans), CB Terrance Mitchell (Texans), CB SS Karl Joseph (Raiders), and SS Andrew Sendejo (UFA).

Key Players Added:

DE Jadeveon Clowney (Titans), DE Tak McKinley (Raiders), DT Malik Jackson (Eagles), LB Anthony Walker (Colts), CB Troy Hill (Rams), and SS John Johnson (Rams).

Draft Picks:

Round 1: 
Pick 026 – CB Greg Newsome (Northwestern)
Round 2:  Pick 052 – LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Notre Dame)
Round 3:  Pick 091 – WR  Anthony Schwartz (Auburn)
Round 4:  Pick 110 – OT James Hudson (Cincinnati)
Round 4:  Pick 132 – DT Tommy Togiai (Ohio State)
Round 5:  Pick 153 – LB Tony Fields (West Virginia)
Round 5:  Pick 169 – FS Richard LeCounte (Georgia)
Round 6:  Pick 211 – WR Demetric Felton (UCLA)

2020 Results:

W01  at Baltimore Ravens  L  6-38
W02  CINCINNATI BENGALS  W  35-30
W03  WASHINGTON FT  W  34-20
W04  at Dallas Cowboys  W  49-38
W05  INDIANAPOLIS COLTS  W  32-23
W06  at Pittsburgh Steelers  L  7-38
W07  at Cincinnati Bengals  W  37-34
W08  LAS VEGAS RAIDERS  L  6-16
W10  HOUSTON TEXANS  W  10-7
W11  PHILADELPHIA EAGLES  W  22-17
W12  at Jacksonville Jaguars  W  27-25
W13  at Tennessee Titans  W  41-35
W14  BALTIMORE RAVENS  L  42-47
W15  at New York Giants  W  20-6
W16  New York Jets  L  16-23
W17  PITTSBURGH STEELERS  W  24-22
WC  at Pittsburgh Steelers  W 48-37
DIV  at Kansas City Chiefs  L  17-22

Team Info:

2020 Overall:  11-5 (3rd in AFC North)

Home:  6-2
Away:  5-3
North:  3-3
AFC:  7-5
NFC:  4-0

Head Coach:  Kevin Stefanski

Cleveland:  12-6
Career:  12-6
Playoffs:  1-1

Returning Statistical Leaders:

Passing: 
Baker Mayfield (305-486, 3563 yards, 62.8%, 7.3 avg., 26 TD, 8 INT)
Rushing:  Nick Chubb (190 car., 1067 yards, 5.6 avg., 12 TD)
Receiving:  Jarvis Landry (72 rec., 840 yards, 11.7 avg., 3 TD)
Yards After Catch:  Jarvis Landry (345)
TD’s Scored:  Nick Chubb (12)
Sacks:  Myles Garrett (12)
Tackles:  Malcolm Smith (72)
Interceptions:  M.J. Stewart/Denzel Ward (2)
Pass Deflections:  Denzel Ward (18)
Tackles For Loss:  Myles Garrett (15)
Forced Fumbles:  Myles Garrett (4)
Kick Returns:  Donovan People-Jones (18 ret., 379 yards, 21.1 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns:  Donovan People-Jones (18 ret., 77 yards, 4.3 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking:  Cody Parkey (19-22 fg/fga., 86%, 43-47 xp/xpa., 100 pts.)
Punting: 
Jamie Gillan (51 punts, 2224 yards, 44.0 avg., 14 in20)

Projected Offensive Starters:

QB:  6  Baker Mayfield
RB:  24  Nick Chubb
TE:  81  Austin Hooper
WR:  80  Jarvis Landry
WR:  13  Odell Beckham Jr.
TE:  88  Harrison Bryant
LT:  71  Jedrick Wills
LG:  75  Joel Bitonio
OC:  64  J.C. Tretter
RG:  77  Wyatt Teller
RT:  78  Jack Conklin
KR:  11  Donovan Peoples-Jones
PK:  2  Cody Parkey

Projected Defensive Starters:

DE:  95  Myles Garrett
DT:  99  Andrew Billings
DT:  96  Jordan Elliott
DE:  90  Jadeveon Clowney
LB:  44  Sione Takitaki
LB:  54  Anthony Walker
NB:  23  Troy Hill
CB:  21  Denzel Ward
CB:  20  Greg Newsome  |R|
FS:  22  Grant Delpit
SS:  43  John Johnson
PR:  11  Donovan Peoples-Jones
PT:  7  Jamie Gillan

Team Grades:

Offense

Quarterbacks:  A
Running Backs:  A
Wide Receivers:  B
Offensive Line:  A

Defense

Defensive Line:  A
Linebackers:  B
Secondary:  B

Special Teams:

Kick Returners:  B
Punt Returners:  C
Kickers:  A
Punters:  A

Schedule:

09/12 
at Kansas City Chiefs  |  Cleveland trails the series 11-14-2.  The Browns lost (17-22) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series win (30-7) was in 2012.

09/19  HOUSTON TEXANS  |  Cleveland trails the series 4-7.  The Browns are 1-4 since 2011, and their lasts series loss (13-29) was in 2018.

09/26  CHICAGO BEARS  |  The series is tied 6-6.  The Browns lost (3-20) the last meeting between teams in 2017.

10/03  at Minnesota Vikings  |  Cleveland trails the series 4-11.  The Browns lost (16-33) the last meeting between teams in 2017, and their last series win (31-27) was in 2013.

10/10  at Los Angeles Chargers  |  Cleveland trails the series 9-17-1.  The Browns lost (14-38) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series win (20-17) was in 2016.

10/17  ARIZONA CARDINALS  |  Cleveland trials the series 8-10-1.  The Browns lost (24-38) the last meeting between teams in 2019.

10/21  DENVER BRONCOS  |  Cleveland trails the series 6-24.  The Browns lost (19-24) the last meeting between teams in 22019, and their last series win (17-16) was in 2018.

10/31  PITTSBURGH STEELERS  |  Cleveland trails the series 37-69-1.  The Browns are 5-16 since 2011, and their last series home loss (18-21) was in 2017.

11/07  at Cincinnati Bengals  |  Cleveland trails the series 44-51.  The Browns are 8-12 since 2011, and their last series road loss (23-33) was in 2019.

11/14  at New England Patriots  |  Cleveland leads the series 13-12.  The Browns lost (13-27) the last meeting between teams in 2019, and their last series win (34-14) was in 2010.

11/21  DETROIT LIONS  |  Cleveland trails the series 3-11.  The Browns lost (24-38) the last meeting between teams in 2017, and their last series win (24-14) was in 2001.

11/28  at Baltimore Ravens  |  Cleveland trails the series 11-33.  The Browns are 5-15 since 2011, and their last series road win (40-25) was in 2019.

12/12  BALTIMORE RAVENS  |  The Browns last series home win (12-9) was in 2018.

12/19  LAS VEGAS RAIDERS  |  Cleveland trails the series 10-16.  The Browns are 2-4 since 2011, and their last series win (23-13) was in 2014.

12/25  at Green Bay Packers  |  Cleveland trails the series 4-10.  The Browns lost (21-27) the last meeting between teams in 2017, and their last series win (26-24) was in 2005.

01/03  at Pittsburgh Steelers  |  The Browns split (7-38 regular season, and 48-37 Wild Card) last season’s road meetings between teams.

01/09  CINCINNATI BENGALS  |  The Browns last series home loss (7-31) was in 2017.

Prediction:

Home:  8-1
Away:  5-3
DIV:  5-1
AFC:  10-2
NFC:  3-2

Overall:  13-4 (1st in AFC North/AFC Champions/Super Bowl Champions)

UFA:  Unrestricted Free Agent

Series Histories:  Histories are from the inception of the first Super Bowl season through present day. Meetings prior to 1966 are not included.  Playoff wins are included in the year the season took place.  For example, if a team won a wildcard game in January of 2016, the game will be listed under the 2015 season.