Going into the 2020 season, fans really had no idea what to expect from the Browns. They had drastically failed in 2019 and went on yet another coaching search in early 2020 until they landed Kevin Stefanski. There were loads of questions. Was Baker Mayfield truly our franchise QB? Stefanski had never been a head coach before, would he be Freddie Kitchens 2.0? What about the lackluster offensive line? The list went on and on. After an incredible 2020 campaign in which Cleveland went 11–5, clinched their first playoff berth since 2002, and won a playoff game in Pittsburgh, all of those questions have been answered.
We all knew going into Kansas City to play the defending Super Bowl champs would be extremely challenging. After the convincing win against the Steelers the week before, there was hope. What makes the loss to Kansas City even more painful is that there was a realistic chance to win. A few bad coaching decisions and play calls from Kevin Stefanski hurt us a lot on the final drive, and that ended up deciding the game. Stefanski was amazing this season and we all have to remember that he is a rookie head coach. Mistakes happen. Baker Mayfield played well on a big stage and cemented that he is the Franchise QB in Cleveland. In reality, the Browns just aren’t quite ready for a Super Bowl run yet….. But they are very close.
So now we go from saying “We Want More” to “We Will Be Back.” It isn’t the ending any of us wanted, but the future is bright. And we will definitely be back. Odell Beckham Jr is slated to return in 2021, along with Grant Delpit and Greedy Williams. Our defense was always going to keep us from contending for a championship this season, so Andrew Berry will have his work cut out for him in the offseason. His 2020 draft and Free Agent acquisitions proved that we are in good hands. There are definite upgrades needed at linebacker, defensive end, and cornerback. There is a good chance all of it will not be fixed in one offseason, but a lot can still be done.
In theory, the 2021 offseason should be fairly normal opposed to the unprecedented 2020 offseason we saw. There will still be challenges and protocols, but this is the first time in years we are going into an offseason with the same effective system and personnel in place. Consistency will only benefit Baker Mayfield and the entire team. Imagine a complete minicamp, training camp, and pre-season. That’s hopefully what 2021 has in store.
My message to all Browns fans out there is to keep your head up. We’ve waited years for this team and we finally got it. Stefanski/Mayfield has potential to be as great as the Payton/Brees marriage. This season wasn’t a fluke and we will be contenders for years to come. The Browns are officially back.
