The offense is filled with the most question marks and it starts under center with the quarterback situation.
Brian Hoyer beat out Johnny Manziel for the starting nod,but neither looked especially strong in pre-season play.
Hoyer might be on a short leash considering Johnny Football wasn't drafted in round one to sit,so a fast start to the season is almost a must for Hoyer to keep his job.
The Browns aren't carrying a third quarterback on the roster,but the team did keep rookie Connor Shaw of South Carolina on the practice squad.
Ben Tate was the offensive star of the free agent signees from Houston and Tate looks to be the type of back that could flourish in the Kyle Shanahan offense and should be the main bulwark of the offense.
If the Browns are going to do anything on the offensive side of the ball,it may have to up to Ben Tate..
Third round pick Terrence West will spell Tate and will get his share of carries as well,while Isaiah Crowell was a training camp sensation and might be the sleeper of the team.
Ray Agnew will be the fullback as the Browns attempt the reestablish the position as a blocking back.
The suspension of Josh Gordon crushed any hopes of the Browns passing game being even average.
Miles Austin was imported from Dallas to be the number two receiver,but moved to number one after the Gordon suspension.
Austin has the skills to be an adequate number one,but the biggest issue for Austin has always been health and depending on that is a shaky chair to stand on.
Andrew Hawkins was signed to be play in the slot,but when Nate Burleson was released,Hawkins was forced to move outside.
At 5'7,Hawkins seems a bit small to play that spot,but the Browns will have to hope that he can make the move successfully.
Travis Benjamin will attempt to return from a knee injury that ended his 2013 season and the other pass catchers are even more unproven with rookie free agent Taylor Gabriel and LaRon Byrd was claimed off waivers from Dallas.
Neither jolt me full of confidence.
Jordan Cameron is a huge weapon at tight end and will need to continue his development into a playmaker.
Cameron will likely be the key security blanket for the QB's and the main red zone target as well.
Blocking types Gary Barnidge and Jim Dray will backup Cameron...
The offensive line returns the three standouts of last year's line in Joe Thomas at left tackle,Alex Mack at center and John Greco at right guard and second rounder Joel Bitonio appears to be heading for top notch status at left guard.
The biggest question remains Mitchell Schwartz at right tackle,who the new coaching staff was high on before a bad pre-season.
Schwartz struggled last season and might be the weak link on what appears to be a pretty good line.
The versatile Paul McQuistan was signed from Seattle to backup at guard and tackle while Ryan Seymour and Vinson Painter were waiver claims to provide depth.
The Browns will continue to run the 3-4 under Mike Pettine,but will likely be more of a attacking style defense and the pressure on the opposing passers should increase.
The defensive line should be a strength this year.
Desmond Bryant was playing very well last season before an injury and he will start at one end with Billy Winn starting at the other.
Armonty Bryant was dynamite during pre-season and could find himself starting if he can maintain that level of play and Phil Taylor will be solid in that position in the rotation as well.
Ahtyba Rubin starts on the nose with Ishammil'y Kitchen backing him up.
John Hughes can play on or off the nose as a backup.
The linebackers received a huge upgrade on the inside with tackling machine Karlos Dansby.
Dansby brings a huge physical presence to the inside and will be a difference maker in a unit that didn't make a ton of big plays last season.
Craig Robertson surprisingly retained the other inside starting spot,but rookie Christian Kirksey will be the eventual starter.
Kirksey is a player that I am very high on for the future,if not the present.
Paul Krueger was a mild disappointment last year after arriving from Baltimore,Kruger will try to bounce back as the starter at one linebacker while 2013 first rounder Barkevious Mingo will start on the other side.
Mingo was devastating at times,but disappeared late in the season and will need to at least improve to average in pass coverage in order to be on the field more.
Jabaal Sheard continues his coverage to stand up pass rusher in a specialist role with special teams ace Tank Carder seeing backip time...
The secondary will be improved with the addition of first rounder Justin Gilbert opposite Joe Haden at cornerback.
Gilbert will likely have some growing pains,but the Browns have not had a pair of such talented corners for quite a while.
Buster Skrine will see plenty of playing time and is best suited as the third corner,but could step into the second corner position if the team decides to break Gilbert in slowly.
Mike Pettine believes in carrying lots of corners as the Browns kept four other corners to back up and play special teams with fifth rounder Pierre Desir being the most prominent.
Tashaun Gipson returns at one safety while former 49er Donte Whitner was signed to replace T.J. Ward,who was allowed to go to Denver, at the other.
I liked what I saw from Jordan Poyer last season in limited action and former Jet Jim Leonhard has been a long time favorite of mine and Pettine's.
Both should see plenty of field time.
This should be a much improved unit this season.
Billy Cundiff and Spencer Lanning return as a pair of above average,but not great members of the kicking game.
Travis Benjamin will be the main player in the return game,although Buster Skrine,Jim Leonhard and Jordan Poyer have all seen return action in the past.
Onto the fun part-the record.
I'm usually a pessimist and when I write the record in,you may assume I'm doing it again,but hear me out.
I really like this Browns defense and think they are going to stop teams.
The problem is this-they aren't going to score many points and without Josh Gordon,there is no downfield weapon.
I look for a lot of close and low scoring losses,but I also think we will see late season improvement too.
I am going to say 5-11 and some hope for next season,especially if Buffalo is pretty bad as well....
Go Browns.
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