The national media may be counting out the Cleveland Browns as usual, but they and their fans have plenty to be optimistic about as the 2023 season approaches.
Deshaun Watson will be playing the entire season with his new teammates, and the team has some new additions, particularly on the defensive side of the football, which was their big weakness last season.
The Browns posted a video featuring some highlights from media day last week to get fans hyped up for the new season.
cooked up some heat at media day '23 last week ♨️😲 pic.twitter.com/3gapCoVZGE
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 15, 2023
It’s easy to forget that Watson is one of the NFL’s better quarterbacks and that he led the league in passing yards in the 2020 campaign, his last full one to date.
He is also a major threat to move the chains with his legs, and in that respect, he will make a nice complement to star running back Nick Chubb.
Watson will have the opportunity to build better chemistry with Amari Cooper, Cleveland’s No. 1 wide receiver, as well as fellow wideouts Donovan Peoples-Jones and Elijah Moore.
But newcomers Dalvin Tomlinson and Za’Darius Smith are perhaps who fans should be most excited about.
Last season, the Browns were 20th in points allowed and their run defense was particularly bad, and Tomlinson, a star defensive tackle, should rectify that inability to stop the run.
Meanwhile, Smith, a three-time Pro Bowl defensive end, should give Myles Garrett an excellent tag-team partner when it comes to the team’s pass-rush attack.
This could be the season the Browns start to turn around their national reputation and make themselves into winners.
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