2008 Cleveland Browns AFC North Preview

The 2008 edition of the Cleveland Browns should be an exciting thing to watch. A lot of pressure will be on Derek Anderson to succeed early. A young Brady Quinn is waiting to pounce at any opportunity he is given (as his contract had many performance based incentives), and a slow start will have fans calling for Quinn. A few wins right out of the gate, and Quinn may become a product much like Aaron Rodgers of the Packers. We should have a good feel for how the season will turn out by the time week 5 rolls around.

KEY ADDITIONS:

1) Donte' Stallworth - Stallworth will add another weapon for a young Derek Anderson to come into his own. Stallworth joins Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow in the passing game, and the young quarterback has plenty of weapons to help him succeed. Add Jamal Lewis into the mix, and not many people will be surprised if the Browns win the way they did last year.

2) Shaun Rogers - Rogers was acquired in a trade with Detroit in the offseason and will look to replace departed Ted Washington. Rogers may not be as big as Washington, but he moves better. He will fit in nicely in the Browns 3-4 defense, and help Kameron Wimbley run wild.

3) Kevin Casper - Casper will add another receiving threat at Anderson's disposal. Casper could work out of the slot as a number three receiver. Josh Cribbs is getting a bigger look at wideout however, and if the Browns can find a way to get Cribbs more touches you can be rest assured that more points will be on the board.

KEY LOSSES:

1) LeCharles Bentley - Bentley was a big name free agent signing two years ago. A hefty contract and two injuries later, Bentley leaves without ever playing a down for the Browns. When at his best, Bentley is a top-tier center. Bentley will certainly attract some attention from teams, and someone will take a chance with a one year deal and an option for another year.

2) Ted Washington - The big defensive lineman is not a very versatile player. His role is to clog the middle and occupy two or even three offensive lineman at a time. While he may not be flashy, he is good at what he does. The big guy will be missed in the middle of the defense.

Key Weaknesses:

The secondary of the Browns is the one aspect of the team that is mediocre. There are playmakers on offense, and the defensive line and linebacking crews are all solid. How far this team can go (which could quite possibly be a wild-card birth) will depend on how well opposing offenses fair in the passing game.

Key Strengths:

The strength of this team rests with the pass catchers. Braylon Edwards is one of the best young receivers in the game and dido Kellen Winslow as tight end. Add a playmaking Josh Cribbs to the unit, and a power runner in Jamal Lewis and you have a complete offense. This is the year we find out if Derek Anderson is legitimate, or he was just teasing us last year.

2008 Predictions

The 2008 season will play a big role in the future of the Browns. Derek Anderson is the starter, but if the Browns fall short of the playoffs again look for the team to turn to Brady Quinn next year. The team didn't have a huge splash this offseason (aside from Donte' Stallworth), but they also didn't lose any key personnel. They chose to rebuild through free agency and trading, and didn't have a pick in the first three rounds of April's draft.

Here is a look how the 2008 schedule looks for the Browns:

Week/Opponent

1 Dallas

2 Pittsburgh

3 @Baltimore

4 @Cincinnati

5 BYE

6 New York Giants

7 @Washington

8 @Jacksonville

9 Baltimore

10 Denver

11 @Buffalo

12 Houston

13 Indianapolis

14 @Tennessee

15 @Philadelphia

16 Cincinnati

17 @Pittsburgh

The Browns play in a very competitive AFC North. This is a make or break year for the Browns, and a playoff birth is needed. Expect them to sweep the Ravens, and split with the Bengals and Steelers. A 4-2 division record could quite possibly be on the horizon for this team.

As for the rest of the league, wins against the Redskins, Broncos, Texans, and Bills are feasible. An 8-8 or 9-7 records is feasible, and the Browns could fall one win short of making the playoffs. If that happens, Derek Anderson may spend the offseason looking over his shoulder.