C L E V E L A N D   B R O W N S
Go-To Guy | Weakest Link | Burning Question | Offseason Movement

Glance Head coach: Butch Davis 2001: Results 2002: Draft picks Training camp: July 22 at Browns Training Facility in Berea, Ohio  2002 Schedule Date  Vs.  Time  Sept. 8  K.C.  1 p.m.  Sept. 15  CIN.  1 p.m.  Sept. 22  at Ten.  1 p.m.  Sept. 29  at Pit.  1 p.m.  Oct. 6  BAL.  8:30 p.m.  Oct. 13  at T.B.  4:15 p.m.  Oct. 20  HOU.  4:05 p.m.  Oct. 27  at NYJ  1 p.m.  Nov. 3  PIT.  1 p.m.  Nov. 10  Open     Nov. 17  at Cin.  1 p.m.  Nov. 24  at N.O.  1 p.m.  Dec. 11  CAR.  1 p.m.  Dec. 8  at Jac.  1 p.m.  Dec. 15  IND.  1 p.m.  Dec. 22  at Bal.  4:15 p.m.  Dec. 29  ATL.  1 p.m.

By B. Duane Cross, CNNSI.com

Four years ago, Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark were at the forefront of Cleveland's return to the NFL. "San Francisco East," some hoped, would be the end result of the two former 49ers front-office executives leading the Browns' revival.

Well, you know the adage of the best made plans ....

"I must admit, 1999 and 2000 were not much fun," said Policy, the team's president and CEO. "But last year, even with some of the bad luck we experienced, there was always enough optimism to carry you through because you knew you were on the right track. You knew you were headed in the right direction.

"And even if it didn't turn out to be a playoff year, you were convinced that this is where you intended to be, where you wanted to be. I likewise have the feeling, as a result of this offseason, that we're ready to take a step higher."

Clark, however, won't be part of the 2002 Browns. He resigned May 13 as executive vice president and director of football operations. "I didn't feel good about some of the things that were going on in the building," Clark said. "I'm not mad at anybody. I just didn't feel good about my role."

One Brown who has a clearly defined role is quarterback Tim Couch. "This is where I hoped to be when I got drafted back in ’99," Couch said. "I told myself that I wanted to work hard enough to still be around in three or four years and be the guy leading a charge at the playoffs. And I feel like we are in position to make a run at it. ... This year, we're ready to go after it and take that next step."

While the team's first-round draft picks the past two years were defensive stalwarts (Courtney Brown in 2000 and Gerard Warren in '01), this year Cleveland took a step to improve its running game. Looking to upgrade the league's worst rushing attack, the Browns took RB William Green with the No. 16 selection. This was the third consecutive year that Cleveland drafted a running back with in the first three rounds (Travis Prentice in 2000 and James Jackson in '01).

Head coach Butch Davis is adamant that Couch's learning curve must continue to flatten in his fourth season. "He's going to grow. He's going to be better," Davis said. "At times he was brilliant last year. I think the biggest step that we want to see Tim make is in the consistency aspect of it, and a lot of that goes to the supporting cast."

Fact Tim Couch is a passer in the truest sense; he has one TD in 90 career rushes. After his only career TD against Tennessee in the 12th game of 1999 -- on the 34th carry of his career -- Couch has carried the ball 56 times without scoring.

Tim Couch, QB -- Off to a quick start in 2001, Couch slowed considerably down the stretch. He had 16 of his 21 interceptions -- and only six of 17 touchdown passes -- in the final eight games. Still, he played in 16 games for the first time in his career, topped 3,000 yards passing and posted career highs in TDs (and INTs).

"I've worked really hard this offseason," he said. "This is the hardest I've ever worked in the offseason as far as studying film and really learning the game.

"All of the Browns quarterbacks, for an offseason project, picked two guys to study on film," said Couch, who watched Rich Gannon and Peyton Manning. "It's good to watch those guys, see how they do things, and see what you might be able to add to your game."

The addition of Green to top wide receiver Kevin Johnson is just one reason why Davis is shouldering Couch with the franchise's high expectations.

"He's familiar now with the system," Davis said of Couch. "Now that he knows Kevin [Johnson] and Rickey [Dudley] and Quincy [Morgan] and JaJuan [Dawson], now they need to take the initiative to start working together. ... The kind of chemistry [Couch has] with Kevin, he needs to have that with everybody."

Clearly this is Couch's team. However, with the pieces coming together -- pieces that Davis believes are capable of winning -- Couch must elevate his game. If not, the 20/20 Dawg Pound will begin howling about how Clark bypassed Donovan McNabb.

Fact Cleveland's projected starting offensive line weighs an average of 308 pounds: LT Ross Verba (308), LG Barry Stokes (310), C Dave Wohlabaugh (292), RG Tre Johnson 326 and RT Ryan Tucker (305).

Offensive line -- Sure, there have been offseason additions, but until the Browns hit the field this will be an overriding concern. After all, the Browns have been either 30th or 31st in offense since rejoining the league in 1999.

Davis contends the team is better in the trenches after drafting center Melvin Fowler and right tackle Joaquin Gonzalez and signing tackle Ryan Tucker and guard Barry Stokes in free agency. Cleveland also re-signed guard Tre Johnson.

"I think we have the makings of a good line," said Johnson, who has missed 12 games in each of the past two seasons, also has missed five or six games in three other seasons. "There's no other position on the team that needs to jell like the line does."

Johnson started the first three games at right guard last season, suffered a torn quadriceps tendon in Game 3 and was lost for the season after surgery.

"I feel a lot better about our choices," Davis said. "First and foremost, we're healthier. ... We're way far ahead of where we were a year ago."

Health should benefit the Browns, who have shuffled their line so much during the past three years that it resembled a blackjack table in Vegas: Seven right guards, six left tackles, five left guards and five right tackles. Only center Dave Wohlabaugh has been a constant.

Add Stokes and Tucker to the mix and you have six left guards and six right tackles.

Is William Green the answer to Cleveland's rushing woes?

Fact Kevin Mack is the last Browns RB to surpass 1,000 rushing yards (1,104 in 1985) and have a double-digit rushing TD total (10 in '86).

Given Davis' soft spot for former Hurricanes, the fact Cleveland drafted Green sends a clear message that on-field production is thicker than water, or something like that. If nothing else, it put Miami alum -- and Davis favorite -- James Jackson on notice that his 554-yard rushing total isn't up to par.

Since returning to the league in 1999, Cleveland's leading rusher has averaged 506 yards per season.

"You bring a guy in the first round and I was a third-rounder," Jackson said. "Of course I'm going to have to dial it up."

Jackson, who missed five games last season, including the final three, said he will approach the situation not as a demotion, but rather as the Browns merely added depth. "We needed two tailbacks. [Davis] wanted another one so there won't be a drop-off if I go down or Jamel White goes down."

However, the Browns will keep a close eye on Green, who is afflicted with ulcerative colitis -- an inflammatory disease of the colon. He has never missed a game because of the disease, which is cured only by the removal of the colon by surgery.

Should Green prove not to be the cure for the Browns' backfield ills, former Miami RB J.J. Johnson was added for depth, giving Cleveland four options at tailback.