Cleveland Browns Have a Lot More to Win or Lose Than Games in 2009

Following a disastrous and disappointing 2008 season, the Cleveland Browns are certainly looking to increase their win total in 2009. For several members of the team, however, there is much more at stake than a shot at the post-season.

Perhaps no member of the Browns was the target of more criticism in 2008 than WR Braylon Edwards. Edwards looked to have finally emerged as an elite receiver with a 1289 yard, 16 TD season in 2007, but suffered a significant drop-off in production last year. Edwards dropped passes, failed to make plays, and never played with any consistency.

Edwards showed flashes in the spotlight last year with 18 catches and 360 yards in three appearances on Monday Night Football, but was a disappointment overall. 

He has the physical talent to be a top five receiver, but issues off the field and a lack of concentration on it, have kept him from reaching his potential.

Edwards is in a contract year with the Browns and a return to Pro Bowl form could make him a top-flight receiver and earn him a big payday. If he fails to correct his mistakes, he may find himself out of Cleveland and with teams unwilling to meet his price tag.

Of course, the biggest story coming out of Browns camp is the battle between Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn for the starting QB position. Both have had their highs and lows, and neither has yet taken a lead in the race for the job.

Anderson had a terrible 2008 season, resulting fans cheering as he lay injured on the field, but he is only a year removed from a 29 TD, Pro Bowl season.

Quinn, meanwhile, was drafted 22nd overall in 2007 to be the QB of the future and face of the franchise, but has yet to establish himself as the starter in the past two seasons.

Anderson and Quinn both struggled in 2009 with completion percentages of 50.2 and 50.6 respectively. Both quarterbacks are looking to prove that they are deserving of a starting spot, as neither will be content to watch from the sideline for long.

Whoever loses the competition may still get another opportunity with another team. If the winner comes out and fails to produce, he may not.

While Edwards is playing for a new contract, and Anderson and Quinn try to validate theirs, WR/KR Joshua Cribbs says he is unhappy with the six-year/$6.7 million contract extension he signed in 2006. Cribbs, however, has been in camp and looking like a team player.

The undrafted QB from Kent State has established himself as one of the NFL's most dangerous return specialists and one of Cleveland's biggest weapons.

He has continued to produce on returns, consistently putting Cleveland in excellent field position, as well as being a leading special teams tackler, while scoring six return TDs in his four year career.

His biggest dissatisfaction stems from Devin Hester's monster four-year/$40 million contract, as Cribbs feels he is deserving of a similar deal. He has been working extremely hard this off-season at WR and is, by all reports, developing nicely.

If Cribbs can continue to be an impact on special teams, while proving to be a legitimate offensive weapon, he will likely receive the new contract he desires.

With 255 tackles and four interceptions in the past two years, ILB D'Qwell Jackson may not seem like a player with much to prove. This is not the case.

Jackson has become a tackling machine in the mold of departed Andra Davis, but also like Davis has been largely unnoticed.

While Jackson excels in the ability to see the play develop and get involved, he rarely makes big hits or game-changing plays.

Until he can add physicality and aggressiveness to his game, Jackson will never be an imposing defensive force. Jackson also needs to prove he can be a defensive leader, now that Willie McGinest is out of town.

If he can become more physical, and can get the defense to follow him, Jackson can develop into a perennial Pro Bowler. If that doesn't happen, he will be just another player with a lot of tackles, and little respect.

Directing these players is new head coach Eric Mangini. Since being introduced as head coach in January, Mangini has done much to add his own feel to the Cleveland Browns.

From harder-hitting practices set to music to the trading of Pro Bowl TE Kellen Winslow, he has made Cleveland a vastly different environment than it was a year ago.

This, of course, means nothing if it doesn't translate into wins.

Mangini has the opportunity to show that his firing from the Jets was a mistake. He has had two winning seasons in three years as head coach of the Jets, but a lack of playoff success leaves a lot of questions.

Is Mangini the creative mind who led his team to a surprise playoff season in his first year as head coach, or the reason the Jets underachieved the following two?

If Mangini cannot bring significant improvement to the Browns, Cleveland is likely to be his last stop as a head coach.

Overall, the Browns enter 2009 with far lower expectations than they did in 2008, or in recent years for that matter.

No one expects the team to be very relevant this year, though an improvement over the four wins in 2008 seems plausible. There are far more questions than answers with this team.

Whatever individual questions the members of the Cleveland Browns have, fans should hope that they can answer them on the field, and as a team.