(Photo by: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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n effort to revamp a wide receiving corps that saw Joe Jurevicius be released due to nagging injuries and Donte Stallworth commit vehicular homicide while intoxicated (allegedly). Tight end Robert Royal comes over to Cleveland after the Browns traded Kellen Winslow to Tampa Bay. Should the Browns hope to rebound after a tumultuous 2008 campaign however, they will need to see immense improvement from their offensive and defensive lines. Joe Thomas may be the best left tackle in football now, but he did not much help a year ago. Cleveland's first round pick Alex Mack should start from day one and give the Browns the same presence they had hoped to get from free agent LaCharles Bentley some three years ago. The Browns lost tackle Kevin Shaffer to free agency but replaced him with two veteran back-up type players in John St. Clair and Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack. While those two players are not the most glamorous of signings, they should add depth to a unit that desperately needed that for the past couple of years.
Defensively, the Browns seemingly did little if anything to shore up a unit that has been nothing short of terrible the past two seasons. Mangini was able to bring over several former Jets with Eric Barton, CJ Mosley, and Abram Elam being the most notable. However, the Browns did little to shore up needs on their front seven and could very well struggle mightily on this side of the ball yet again.
2009 Schedule:
| Date | Opponent |
| Sunday, September 13 | vs MINNESOTA VIKINGS |
| Sunday, September 20 | @ Denver Broncos |
| Sunday, September 27 | @ Baltimore Ravens |
| Sunday, October 4 | vs CINCINNATI BENGALS |
| Sunday, October 11 | @ Buffalo Bills |
| Sunday, October 18 | @ Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Sunday, October 25 | vs GREEN BAY PACKERS |
| Sunday, November 1 | @ Chicago Bears |
| Monday, November 16 | vs BALTIMORE RAVENS |
| Sunday, November 22 | @ Detroit Lions |
| Sunday, November 29 | @ Cincinnati Bengals |
| Sunday, December 6 | vs SAN DIEGO CHARGERS |
| Thursday, December 10 | vs PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
| Sunday, December 20 | @ Kansas City Chiefs |
| Sunday, December 27 | vs OAKLAND RAIDERS |
| Sunday, January 3 | vs JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS |
2009 Prediction:
In an obvious rebuilding year as Eric Mangini begins to cut ties with several players from the Romeo Crennel era while replacing them with his own guys, the Browns will likely struggle—especially given the division they play in and the schedule they have drawn in 2009.
That said, the Browns do have some talent on offense—enough where they should be able to hang in quite a few games. The best case scenario for Cleveland appears to be seven or eight wins, but because of the turnover on the roster and the lack of adding true impact players to a defense that desperately needed that. The Browns will likely fall short of this scenario.
Final Prediction: 5-11, 3rd AFC North
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Hassellbeck - VSN Writer
www.virtualsportsnetwork.com
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