Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns Head Coach Profile

Romeo Crennel was a successful defensive coordinator in New England before becoming the head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2005. He started the rebuilding process in Cleveland and earned a 6-10 record in his first year. Last season saw a slumping Cleveland Browns team fall under that mark with a 4-12 record on the books by season’s end, obviously well short of playoff contention. Crennel brings ample experience to the helm, with three plus decades of coaching under his belt. Those in the know understand defense to be his strong suit, as championship seasons with the New England Patriots loom large on Crennel’s resume.

Crennel was named the 2003 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year, as recognized by the Pro Football Writers of America. If you haven’t already, do a little digging into his defensive coaching numbers while tenured in New England. They speak for themselves.

Cleveland Browns Off-Season Moves

Lots of Cleveland Browns fans are positive about the draft results, pinning the team’s future on tackle Joe Thomas and quarterback Brady Quinn . Locking in deals with these two first-round picks may not come without delays. The Browns added running back Jamal Lewis , who will not be running behind the line that Baltimore once offered. Furthermore, he may line up behind new players on the Browns line – players who are slightly less than solid. We’ll just have to wait and see what Lewis, who picked up his numbers in 2006, has left in him, a year after slumping through the 2005 season. Eric Steinbach comes over from the Cincinnati Bengals at guard. It may take some time for the offensive line to come together as a unit, after working to mesh three new players into the fold.

The at-times anemic defense will hopefully see some additional strength from newcomers Robaire Smith, a defensive end from the Tennessee Titans, and Shaun Smith, former defensive tackle with the Cincinnati Bengals. Look for an interesting standoff in the secondary, with the competitions at cornerback being particularly intense.

Cleveland Browns 2007-08 Season Outlook

The Cleveland Browns 2007 season is marked by potentially dramatic changes and additions, most notably newcomers quarterback Brady Quinn and offensive tackle Joe Thomas. There will be more adjustments for the offensive side of the ball in Cleveland, as they welcome running back Jamal Lewis and two other offensive linemen, Eric Steinbach and Seth McKinney. It could play out like a brand new Cleveland Browns team, or the season could be one rife with growing pains. Not so sure this is the season to ride this team to the Super Bowl, but improvements should begin to make manifest sometime this year. That may not be saying much given the pitiful 4-12 slide the Browns fell into last year. Cleveland ended the season at the bottom of the AFC North.

The season opens against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team coming off of a fairly miserable season last year as well. Brady Quinn, the future of the franchise, may end up in the starting quarterback position, but he’d have to edge out the more experienced Charlie Frye, who will no doubt feel pressure from the hometown fans itching to see their new golden boy in action. Who knows – maybe Derek Anderson will end up with the job, surprising everyone in the process. Whether or not the fans will be able to withstand a potentially lackluster Cleveland Browns season remains to be seen. Hey – at least there’s finally some hope in Cleveland again.

Cleveland Browns Trivia

Although rumored to be named after legendary head coach Paul Brown, the Browns are in fact nicknamed after heavyweight champion Joe Louis, the “Brown Bomber.”

The Cleveland Browns are the only team not to have ever had a symbol of any kind on their helmets during any regular season or playoff game.

Although the team is named the Browns, their helmet is actually orange.

The bleachers behind the east end zone of Cleveland Stadium is known as the “Dawg Pound,” for the rabid fans that reside there as well as in tribute to the barking 1985 Cleveland defensive squad known as “the Dawgs.” The Dawg Pound residents have been known to throw Milk-Bones at opposing players when they are in the vicinity.

Cleveland Browns 2007-08  Roster

Cleveland Browns 2007-08  Depth Chart

Cleveland Browns – Cleveland Stadium

Construction Began: May 1997
Opened: September 12, 1999
Capacity: 72,300
Location: Cleveland, OH
Surface: Natural Grass

Part of the deal that would bring “the Browns” back to Cleveland, Cleveland Stadium resides on the footprint left by the famous and infamous Cleveland Municipal Stadium. When Municipal began to deteriorate, and the Cleveland Indians moved out to take Jacobs Field in 1993, owner Art Modell insisted the Browns receive the same treatment. After a failed initiative, the Browns moved to Baltimore, and Cleveland fans were left without their beloved football squad. Rejoining the league as an expansion team, the “new” Browns would come to a new home – complete with modern amenities, a large maximum capacity by NFL standards and of course, 10,000 bleacher seats for the “Dawg Pound.”