4 Reasons the Cleveland Browns Should Feel Confident Heading into OTAs

The Cleveland Browns have been stuck in the league's basement season after season, but that hasn't done much to quell the tide of hope that surrounds the team once OTAs and other offseason activities get underway.

But, without hyperbole, this year presents the greatest opportunity for the Browns to turn things around drastically. There's reason to believe the 2012 Browns will be a far different team than their 2011 iteration.

Optimism is most certainly warranted this year when it comes to the Browns. In the following slides, I detail four reasons why Cleveland should be confident heading into OTAs, minicamp and training camp.

Quarterback Competition Will Only Benefit the Browns

Though the Browns drafted quarterback Brandon Weeden in the first round, it's evident that team president Mike Holmgren, general manager Tom Heckert and head coach Pat Shurmur intend to hold an open competition for the starting job.

Weeden is the early frontrunner, but veteran Colt McCoy cannot be counted out of this race (and neither can Seneca Wallace, albeit to a lesser extent). A full offseason of competition, while frustrating to fans in some respects, will only benefit the Browns once they take the field.

The competition guarantees that the best quarterback is the Browns' starter. Though common knowledge says that if you draft a quarterback in the first round, he must start as a rookie, that's not necessarily the best course of action.

The Browns' West Coast offense is complicated and clearly McCoy has a better grasp of it right now than Weeden. Weeden could prove more talented and outperform McCoy as the summer progresses, but it's smart to have them battle it out in order to know for sure.

Trent Richardson Makes the Whole Team Better

There's a reason why the Browns or any team would take a running back with the third overall pick—if he's really, really good. Trent Richardson is really, really good, and his presence on the team will only serve to make every area of the Browns' game that much better.

It's not just that he's a talented running back, a prolific scorer, a solid receiver or a willing and effective pass-blocker. It's also the benefits he provides for the Browns defense that makes him such an asset as OTAs and camps commence.

Last season, the Browns defense was atrocious against the run. This offseason, they added both free agents and draft picks to help mitigate this problem. 

How better to test the talents of the Browns' run defense than to have them try to stop Richardson? Obviously, they won't be playing at full speed (no need to potentially injure their star player, of course), but Richardson's power, speed and elusiveness will provide a gauge of how improved their run stopping is and where they can use further improvement.

On offense and defense, Richardson will make the Browns better.

A Full Offseason Program Should Do Wonders for WR Greg Little

Greg Little got a bit of the short shrift last year. He spent his final season in college off the field, suspended by the NCAA for benefits violations and was drafted by the Browns during last year's lockout.

That resulted in Little tying for the second-most dropped passes by a wide receiver in the league with 14, despite having just the 17th-most targets. Though his 709 yards was second-best for rookie receivers, that nagging problem with bringing down passes harmed the Browns' already tenuous passing-game situation.

Little's struggles can directly be pegged to his year off and his lack of an offseason program in which to learn the intricacies of the Browns offense. He appeared distracted, concerned more about hitting the right marks and getting his timing down, and his ability to catch suffered as a result.

This year, Little will have his first full offseason of OTAs, minicamps and training camp. This should allow him to become even more comfortable with the offense, develop a rapport with both Brandon Weeden and Colt McCoy and emerge as a reliable receiver when the season begins.

Other Receivers Will Have Chances to Impress, Too

Greg Little might be the most well-known Browns receiver at the moment, but there are others who are vying to be regular targets for Brandon Weeden and/or Colt McCoy. These include rookie Travis Benjamin, undrafted free agent rookie Josh Cooper (who was one of Weeden's receivers at Oklahoma State) and veterans Mohamed Massaquoi, Josh Cribbs and Jordan Norwood, to name but a few.

The Browns need to be more explosive when it comes to their passing game, to match what is likely going to be an explosive ground game with Trent Richardson leading the way.

Much time will likely be spent over the summer working hard to build chemistry between the receiving corps and both battling quarterbacks. These players need to be developed and improved quickly, and the organization knows it.

As a result, expect more production and more discipline from the entire Browns receiving corps. 

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