Cleveland Browns fans know this team is on the brink of success.
The question of when that success may come is the unknown.
Some believe it is 2021 or bust.
Here are three reasons why the Browns are a legitimate Super Bowl threat in 2021.
1. Roster
Last year, the Browns seemed a little bit like Cinderella crashing The Ball.
People did not give them much of a chance given the disappointing 2019 and yet another coaching change.
With a pandemic on top of those things, the Browns were believed to be in a rebuilding year.
However, they made the playoffs and won one game.
This was in spite of a lack of depth in certain roster positions, namely on defense.
The Browns also suffered from injuries and COVID-19 issues that depleted the roster.
Those issues were addressed in the 2021 offseason by free agency and the draft.
Injuries are an unknown for all NFL teams, but the Browns added depth and experience by getting two of the defensive players off of last season’s top ranked defense, the Los Angeles Rams.
Signing John Johnson III and Troy Hill was just the beginning of the roster building that also included the long-awaited arrival of Jadeveon Clowney.
The @Browns brought in some MAJOR additions on defense. 😳
Who are you most excited to see them face?
📺: #NFLScheduleRelease — TOMORROW 8pm ET on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/3NN9xiWTxm
— NFL (@NFL) May 11, 2021
2. Schedule
It depends who you believe about the Browns 2021 schedule.
If the winning percentage of the Browns opponents in 2020 is significant, it is the 9th most difficult schedule.
However, many have disputed the logic of using last season’s winning percentage when no team or coaching staff stays intact from season to season (except maybe the 2021 Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
Looking closer at the Browns schedule, there are some tough games (Week 1 against the Chiefs), but Week 2 through 5 present teams with their own rebuilding efforts, rookie coaches, or rookie quarterbacks.
Drawing the Raiders and Steelers late in the season is considered a good break too since the Raiders tend to start well and then lose ground.
Of course, the Steelers did the same thing last year, jumping out to an 11-0 record only to be eliminated by the Browns in the playoffs.
This is your reminder that the Pittsburgh Steelers started the season 11-0 only to lose four of their last five five games and get embarrassed at home in the playoffs by the Cleveland Browns pic.twitter.com/ht4bPlKQoA
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) May 12, 2021
Older players and teams with less deep rosters will definitely feel the effects of adding an extra regular season game in 2021.
Even the bye week happening in Week 13 is considered good timing because it comes before the push for the postseason.
It also comes between two games against the Ravens; that is a hump the Browns need to leap over this year.
They must beat the Ravens at one or both of those meetings so perhaps the bye helps because the Ravens during that same timeframe have the Browns, Steelers, and Browns.
3. Coaching
This is an obvious one.
The Browns have the reigning NFL Coach of the Year on the Browns’ sidelines.
More importantly, the Browns are entering the second season with the same coaching staff.
That has not happened in years.
This helps build the cohesiveness of the team and improve the team because the coaches are already benefitting from a learning curve.
The coaching staff also excites the players.
Hearing several players saying they wanted to come to Cleveland because of the culture and coaches was previously unheard of.
#Browns Jeremiah Owusu- Koramoah said the "attention to detail" is what stands out to him about the coaches and staff in Cleveland.
"That's something that I really like to key in on…I think I fit right in."
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) May 14, 2021
These are three legitimate reasons why the Browns could be a Super Bowl contender in 2021.
The groundwork is in place, but the execution has to be there to make it happen.
NEXT: PFF Names Rashard Higgins As Browns' Most Underrated Player
