The Browns aren’t going winless this year. After adding Tyrod Taylor and Jarvis Landry (and with two picks in the top 4) I’m not even sure they’re finishing in last in their division.
Landry, picked up in a low-cost trade with the Dolphins, gives one of the league’s best slot receivers. Combine him with Josh Gordon and Corey Coleman, and they might have one of the best trios of wide receivers in the league. (They’ve just got to find a way to keep Gordon on the field and develop Coleman some.)
But this is a quarterback-driven league, and that’s what makes the trade for Taylor key. He represents a huge upgrade over what they’ve been using there in recent years.
Taylor might not ever develop into an above-average passer, but he’s a lot better than Cody Kessler and DeShone Kizer. Taylor is a big threat as a runner, takes care of the football and might be the league’s most underrated deep-ball passer.
In terms of avoiding interceptions and fumbles, the Browns just made a worst-to-first type transaction. Over the last three years, 39 quarterbacks have totaled at least 500 plays (that’s combined rushing and passing attempts). Of that group, Kizer has been the worst at turning over the ball, at almost 5 percent (1 per every 21 plays).
Taylor on the turnover chart has been the best in the league, averaging 1 per every 73 plays – slightly ahead of even Tom Brady and Alex Smith. Taylor isn’t great, but he doesn’t beat himself, and that represents a huge upgrade for this franchise.
| QUARTERBACK TURNOVERS SINCE 2015 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Plays | Fum | Int | TO | Pct |
| Tyrod Taylor | 1,643 | 5 | 16 | 23 | 1.40% |
| Tom Brady | 1,812 | 5 | 17 | 27 | 1.49% |
| Alex Smith | 1,764 | 5 | 20 | 28 | 1.59% |
| Jacoby Brissett | 661 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 1.97% |
| Brian Hoyer | 856 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 1.99% |
| Aaron Rodgers | 1,672 | 9 | 21 | 34 | 2.03% |
| Drew Brees | 1,994 | 6 | 34 | 41 | 2.06% |
| Russell Wilson | 1,981 | 8 | 30 | 44 | 2.22% |
| Matthew Stafford | 1,989 | 11 | 33 | 45 | 2.26% |
| Derek Carr | 1,810 | 9 | 32 | 43 | 2.38% |
| Teddy Bridgewater | 540 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 2.41% |
| Cam Newton | 1,963 | 7 | 40 | 48 | 2.45% |
| Andy Dalton | 1,686 | 9 | 27 | 42 | 2.49% |
| Matt Ryan | 1,872 | 10 | 35 | 47 | 2.51% |
| Colin Kaepernick | 753 | 4 | 9 | 19 | 2.52% |
| Sam Bradford | 1,245 | 8 | 19 | 32 | 2.57% |
| Case Keenum | 1,049 | 4 | 19 | 27 | 2.57% |
| Dak Prescott | 1,120 | 7 | 17 | 29 | 2.59% |
| Joe Flacco | 1,769 | 5 | 40 | 47 | 2.66% |
| Kirk Cousins | 1,888 | 11 | 36 | 53 | 2.81% |
| Jared Goff | 769 | 5 | 14 | 22 | 2.86% |
| Philip Rivers | 1,957 | 8 | 44 | 56 | 2.86% |
| Blaine Gabbert | 766 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 2.87% |
| Nick Foles | 548 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 2.92% |
| Eli Manning | 1,919 | 13 | 43 | 59 | 3.07% |
| Blake Bortles | 2,030 | 14 | 47 | 63 | 3.10% |
| Carson Palmer | 1,541 | 6 | 32 | 48 | 3.11% |
| Carson Wentz | 1,218 | 6 | 21 | 38 | 3.12% |
| Trevor Siemian | 958 | 4 | 24 | 30 | 3.13% |
| Ben Roethlisberger | 1,656 | 3 | 43 | 52 | 3.14% |
| Brock Osweiler | 1,082 | 3 | 27 | 34 | 3.14% |
| Ryan Tannehill | 1,120 | 6 | 24 | 36 | 3.21% |
| Andrew Luck | 991 | 6 | 25 | 32 | 3.23% |
| Marcus Mariota | 1,516 | 12 | 34 | 50 | 3.30% |
| Jay Cutler | 1,177 | 7 | 30 | 41 | 3.48% |
| Jameis Winston | 1,778 | 15 | 44 | 63 | 3.54% |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick | 1,281 | 3 | 35 | 46 | 3.59% |
| Josh McCown | 998 | 14 | 19 | 36 | 3.61% |
| DeShone Kizer | 591 | 6 | 22 | 28 | 4.74% |
If the Browns select Saquon Barkley with one of those top-4 picks, then I think we can all start getting really excited about the direction of that offense. It’s going to be a vastly improved unit even if they don’t select a running back with one of those picks.
As for Kizer, he’s been shipped off to Green Bay. The Packers want to see if they can develop him behind Aaron Rodgers. They can start by trying to coach him into taking better care of the ball. With his numerous interceptions and fumbles, the Browns finished minus-28 in takeaways last year, worst by any team since Ryan Leaf was the primary quarterback for the Chargers in 2000.
In today’s game, it’s hard to overcome interceptions and fumbles. In the last 10 years, 36 teams have averaged over 2 turnovers per game, and only four of those teams finished with winning records.
| MOST TURNOVERS, LAST 10 YEARS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Int | Fum | Tot | W-L |
| 2013 | NY Giants | 29 | 15 | 44 | 7-9 |
| 2010 | NY Giants | 25 | 17 | 42 | 10-6 |
| 2017 | Cleveland | 28 | 13 | 41 | 0-16 |
| 2009 | Detroit | 32 | 9 | 41 | 2-14 |
| 2011 | Tampa Bay | 24 | 16 | 40 | 4-12 |
| 2010 | Buffalo | 21 | 18 | 39 | 4-12 |
| 2011 | Philadelphia | 25 | 13 | 38 | 8-8 |
| 2012 | Kansas City | 20 | 17 | 37 | 2-14 |
| 2012 | Philadelphia | 15 | 22 | 37 | 4-12 |
| 2012 | NY Jets | 19 | 18 | 37 | 6-10 |
| 2010 | Carolina | 21 | 16 | 37 | 2-14 |
| 2010 | Minnesota | 26 | 11 | 37 | 6-10 |
| 2014 | Philadelphia | 21 | 15 | 36 | 10-6 |
| 2009 | Arizona | 18 | 18 | 36 | 10-6 |
| 2016 | San Diego | 21 | 14 | 35 | 5-11 |
| 2011 | Washington | 24 | 11 | 35 | 5-11 |
| 2010 | Arizona | 19 | 16 | 35 | 5-11 |
| 2008 | San Francisco | 19 | 16 | 35 | 7-9 |
| 2017 | Denver | 22 | 12 | 34 | 5-11 |
| 2016 | NY Jets | 25 | 9 | 34 | 5-11 |
| 2013 | Washington | 19 | 15 | 34 | 3-13 |
| 2013 | Detroit | 19 | 15 | 34 | 7-9 |
| 2012 | Arizona | 21 | 13 | 34 | 5-11 |
| 2012 | Buffalo | 17 | 17 | 34 | 6-10 |
| 2011 | NY Jets | 18 | 16 | 34 | 8-8 |
| 2010 | Cincinnati | 20 | 14 | 34 | 4-12 |
| 2009 | Tampa Bay | 29 | 5 | 34 | 3-13 |
| 2009 | Chicago | 27 | 7 | 34 | 7-9 |
| 2015 | Tennessee | 17 | 16 | 33 | 3-13 |
| 2015 | Dallas | 22 | 11 | 33 | 4-12 |
| 2014 | Tampa Bay | 20 | 13 | 33 | 2-14 |
| 2012 | Detroit | 17 | 16 | 33 | 4-12 |
| 2010 | Jacksonville | 21 | 12 | 33 | 8-8 |
| 2009 | St. Louis | 21 | 12 | 33 | 1-15 |
| 2009 | Oakland | 18 | 15 | 33 | 5-11 |
| 2008 | Dallas | 20 | 13 | 33 | 9-7 |
—Ian Allan