Are the Browns the team of the 20's?

[Rupert Patrick]

About the Beckham trade and what the Browns have done over the past 15 months following the 0-16 season, I am seeing a number of historical parallels to what the Browns have done that are similar to the 1958 Packers, 1969 Steelers, 1979 49ers, 1989 Cowboys. I'm not saying the Browns are going to win a Super Bowl in the next three years, but they seem to be making a lot of really good moves, both with drafting and bringing in vets. I do think they may have just bypassed the Steelers (sans Bell and Brown) as the second best team in the AFC North, and could very well be in the postseason next year as a wild card. I don't think they were a fluke last year; it looks like they are building something here. I feel better about this organization right now than I have since the days of Schottenheimer and Kosar.

[BD Sullivan]

1959: Vince Lombardi
1969: Chuck Noll
1979: Bill Walsh
1989: Jimmy Johnson

2019: Freddie Kitchens

[ChrisBabcock]

Anything less than 11-5 this year will be a disappointment.

[sluggermatt15]

1959: Vince Lombardi
1969: Chuck Noll
1979: Bill Walsh
1989: Jimmy Johnson

2019: Freddie Kitchens

I have to agree with this. The aspect of greatness missing from the Browns is coaching. Who the he11 is Freddie Kithens? I doubt he is the next Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh or Jimmy Johnson.

[lastcat3]

Also I'm not sure Baker Mayfield will turn out to be the qb that some of those other teams had. He had a good rookie season but qb's in general come into the league more ready to play than they did back in the day.

[JuggernautJ]

It took all my self-restraint to not post five lines of "Ha Ha Ha Ha."

I agree they are moving in the right direction and have made some excellent talent acquisitions but...
These are the Browns, man....

If we're looking at powers to be in the AFC I'd think Kansas City and perhaps Indianapolis might be more in keeping with reality.

But hey, don't get me wrong.
I'd love to see Rupert's prediction come true and watch the Browns once again be the best in the NFL (it has been a while).
Maybe they could even play Matt Patricia's Lions in an upcoming Super Bowl.

It is something I'd root for!
But I'm not holding my breath....

[rhickok1109]

Let's see how much Beckham actually plays and how he reacts the first time Mayfield overthrows him.

[JuggernautJ]

After sleeping on it I would like to amend some of last night's negativism.

I do think the addition of OBJ and Kareem Hunt (available for 8 games) could make for a big change in the AFC North.
As could the maturation of Baker Mayfield and some of the other roster changes (Sheldon Richardson, Oliver Vernon, et al).

With the moves John Dorsey has made the Browns are definitely a franchise on the way up (at last).

In today's volatile NFL they very well could be the next "Cinderella" team.
And they might even outlast the toll of midnight (i.e. they might not be just a one season flash-in-the-pan).

I certainly hope so.
Cleveland is a storied franchise and deserves a place at the table in today's NFL.
(And that's coming from a Steelers fan!)

[Reaser]

All that's left is signing Vince Young as backup QB so he can say "dream team" ...

[sheajets]

The talent level that the Browns are sitting on right now is staggering. But it's fragile too. And Kitchens has never coached before and he's walking into that hornets nest of egos

They have the potential to do something really special with that team before everybody has to be paid. Maybe they succeed and reach the promised land, maybe it all falls apart under injuries, bad coaching, bad luck, and volatile personalities. And the Ravens and Steelers aren't just going to go away overnight. These are two top franchises with great infrastructures.