Worst-Case Scenario for the Cleveland Browns: Richardson Injured, Weeden Falters

The Cleveland Browns are entering the 2012 season with more (cautious) optimism than they've had in seasons.

The team's hopes for improvement hinge on many of their players stepping up this year, but no two have expectations set for them as high as running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden.

The two represent the best chance for the Browns to leave the losing seasons of the past behind them.

Without Richardson and Weeden on the field, Cleveland looks quite similar to the 4-12 team they were in 2011, so should Weeden struggle and Richardson miss the season with injury, it's easily the worst thing that could happen to the Browns this year.

Let's say Weeden looked fairly impressive in camp and in the preseason, performing well enough to win the starting job. He continues to appear strong, if not a bit shaky, in the first game of the regular season against the Philadelphia Eagles.

But then, in Week 2, Richardson suffers a season-ending injury after rushing for over 100 yards in his regular season debut. The responsibility then falls to Weeden to hold up an offense that's had its new figurehead knocked out for the year.

With Richardson, Weeden's mistakes were limited because he was under less pressure to carry the team single-handedly. Richardson provided a much-needed safety valve for the rookie quarterback, not to mention the benefits given the team simply by fielding one of the game's best running backs.

But without Richardson, Weeden could falter. It's hard for rookie quarterbacks to have success in their first year in the NFL, and this could prove even more true for Weeden, who doesn't have the benefit of a strong receiving corps helping him out.

If Weeden's struggles continue, the Browns may then be forced to put Colt McCoy, or even Seneca Wallace, in as the starter. In an even worse-case situation, the Browns may have chosen to trade McCoy before the beginning of the regular season after Weeden's camp performance. Then, the only quarterback worth starting they have is Wallace, and that's certainly not a positive development.

Without Weeden and Richardson, the Browns look very similar to the team they were in 2011. They'll likely lack a strong running game again, with Montario Hardesty likely moved into the starting role.

Their defense, while improved from last season (even though they'll be without Phil Taylor for at least the first half of the year), will be relied upon too heavily far too often, and cracks in the foundation will begin to show.

This offseason has been all about progress for the Browns, but the domino effect of a serious injury to Richardson could easily set them back to where they started, at 4-12 and again searching for the winning formula.

The Browns' rebuilding has been ongoing and constant, and this year, it has taken a more aggressive turn. Another failure could mean not just taking a single step back—it could mean the kind of regression that costs jobs and could precipitate yet another long-term reboot.

This is part three of a four-part series examining the worst-case scenarios that could befall teams in the AFC North. Part one (Cincinnati Bengals) can be found here; part two (Baltimore Ravens), here.

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