For much of the 2022 season, the Cleveland Browns‘ offense was rather conservative, as Jacoby Brissett filled in at quarterback while Deshaun Watson served his suspension.
But now that Watson is about to have a full offseason and training camp with his new mates, not to mention the recent trade for wide receiver Elijah Moore, the days of the Browns playing it safe may be over.
Tony Grossi, who covers the Browns for 850 ESPN, says the team could and should play a more vertical game in 2023.
Are the Browns about to air it out a lot more next year? @TonyGrossi says they didn’t get Elijah Moore to sit him on the bench. pic.twitter.com/Qy9IBw47zq
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) March 24, 2023
This prognostication makes sense, as Moore is a proven speed threat, as is wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones, who had something of a breakout campaign last season.
In addition, Watson is very capable of throwing the deep ball in an accurate manner, something Brissett, who is now with the Washington Commanders, simply could not do.
He led the NFL in passing yards as recently as 2020, and that was after star wideout DeAndre Hopkins left to join the Arizona Cardinals.
An advantage is an advantage only if one takes advantage of it, and the Browns now have plenty of speed and firepower on offense.
In addition, they still have Nick Chubb, arguably the best running back in football who had 1,525 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns on 5.0 yards per carry in 2022.
Opening up the offense, along with the defensive standouts Cleveland has added this offseason, should likely result in the team making the playoffs for only the third time since its current iteration began in 1999.
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