Cleveland Browns 2018-19 - NFL Season Preview & Future Odds Predictions

The 2017 NFL season is one the Cleveland Browns never want to repeat. The Browns were perfect on the season, except on the wrong side of the scoreboard as they finished 0-16. Head coach Hue Jackson returns but close to half the roster will be different than the final game of last season.

Cleveland will start with former Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor under center while No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield waits for his opportunity to become the franchise quarterback. The Browns drafted Denzel Ward hoping he will be their lockdown corner of the future and Myles Garrett the No. 1 pick from last season should get double-digit sacks if he remains healthy. The Browns picked up Taylor in March and also acquired wide receiver Jarvis Landry. The talented wide out in his four NFL seasons has caught more passes than any other receiver in history over that span. Josh Gordon returns to give the Browns a potentially lethal wide receiver tandem.

David Njoku will return for his second season as the starting tight end and is expected to be a popular target of Taylor as well.

Nick Chubb was picked in the second round and the Browns hope the former Georgia Bulldog will be a star at running back, while Carlos Hyde was signed for insurance and Duke Johnson returns. Last season Johnson has a breakout season and brings much to the table with his pass catching ability out of the backfield.

A big hole must be filled at left tackle after Joe Thomas retired at season’s end. Chris Hubbard was signed from the Steelers to play right tackle, and at this point Kevin Zeitler and Joel Bitonio will be the two guards with JC Tretter returning for another season at center. Shone Coleman the right tackle a season ago will battle Austin Corbett to fill the hole at left tackle.

The defense in 2017 did all it could to stop the run and was burned each week by opposing quarterbacks through the air. The Browns hope that with Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi and Emmanuel Ogbah the foundation is set for a dominating front line.

All three linebackers that started last season return. Christian Kirkey and Joe Schobert played every snap on defense last season, but both must get better versus the pass. The most gifted of the group is Jamie Collins but he was out half the season with a knee injury. Myles Kendricks was picked up after the Eagles released him giving the Browns more talent and needed depth at linebacker.

The Browns drafted Ward because the secondary was the weak link last season. Cleveland picked up Damarious Randall in a trade. Randall played corner for Green Bay, but will move to free safety. Jabrill Peppers will now be able to move up and play right on receivers from the line of scrimmage, while last season the safety was at times 20 yards off the line. Three veteran corners were signed and with Ward drafted the Browns secondary should be far better than a season ago.