The Cleveland Browns Need to Stop the Talk

The Cleveland Browns have become the NFL’s darling. There is no two way’s about it. The lovable losers from Ohio finally started winning games last season, getting people around the United States to gather around their TV’s to see rookie Baker Mayfield lead the team after an 0-16 season. Mayfield guided the team to a season 7-8-1, missing the playoffs, but the hope in Cleveland has skyrocketed ever since he came in to that game against the New York Jets. This offseason has not helped calm the hype either.

The Browns have made plenty of big acquisitions this offseason under general manager John Dorsey. Olivier Vernon, Sheldon Richardson, and (most notably)Odell Beckham Jr. Adding these players to a young, talented team rightfully creates a lot of excitement, but they need to stop all this offseason talk.

First off, Cleveland has recently drafted cornerback Greedy Williams declaring that they are going to the Super Bowl. Then yesterday they have Odell Beckham saying that Baker Mayfield is Brett Favre. Beckham also added that he is ready to turn the Browns into the next New England Patriots.

Like I said, there is definitely a good reason behind all the optimism, but this just reminds me of the “dream team” Philadelphia Eagles. Sign a bunch of good players, talk about who good the team is, fall flat on their face during the season. I do not think that happens to the Browns in 2019, but stop the talk. Anything can happen in the NFL and spewing about how great you are before you step on the field puts a target on your back.

For a more recent example you can look at the Boston Celtics. People were saying that the Kyrie Irving led team would be able to walk through the Eastern Conference, but tonight they are playing a win-or-go-home game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

I have little doubt that the Browns are going to be a good team in 2019. They finally have a quarterback they can lean on in Mayfield and a lot of talent with to go with him, but do the talking on the field during the season.

-Jarrod Ribaudo (@Jribs53)