In 2024, the Cleveland Browns scored over 20 points just once in their first 10 games and just three times all season. We know that the Browns need a quarterback, but the offense is not just a quarterback away from turning into a Top 15 unit in the NFL, much less one capable of competing for the Super Bowl.
With new rumors out that the Tennessee Titans have locked in on QB Cam Ward, Cleveland is now on the clock. Perhaps they are able to fulfill their aggressive goal by bringing both WR/CB Travis Hunter and QB Shedeur Sanders to the shores of Lake Erie. Hunter seems the likely selection, no matter what, for the Browns with the second overall pick.
While everyone will (mostly rightfully) point to the failure of the Deshaun Watson trade as the reason for Cleveland’s offensive struggles, the Browns have also not spent draft resources to surround the quarterback position with skill players either:
While that graph goes back to 2019, Cody Suek of Browns Film Breakdown went even further to show how few times Cleveland has invested in skill positions players since “The Return” in 1999:
Building through the trenches and building a defense feels like the AFC North thing to do but, based on both pieces of data above, the Browns haven’t balanced out their resources very well.
With many pounding for DE Abdul Carter, instead of Hunter as a dynamic receiving threat who can also play cornerback, it is important to note how little having the best defense in the NFL would have helped Cleveland in 2024:
Chargers led the NFL allowing 17.7 ppg last year. If the Browns held every opponent to that figure they would have gone…. 4-13. First 3-4 picks in this draft better be on the offense
— Clevta (@Clevta) April 4, 2025
The Browns defense is far from perfect, but with DE Myles Garrett’s new contract, they may not be able to have resources thrown its way as much the next two seasons. Instead, likely starting with Hunter at number two, GM Andrew Berry needs to help HC Kevin Stefanski’s offense with more weapons, a quarterback of the future and some young offensive line help as well.
Are you surprised by any of the three data points noted above? Should the Browns focus most of their energy on offense or do you think the problem is something else?
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