Cleveland Browns Season Odds
(The Spread) – The Cleveland Browns have a new head coach and a new starter under center. But can they win in 2011?
Last year, team president Mike Holmgren hopefully drafted his franchise quarterback in Colt McCoy. This year, he hired Pat Shurmur to replace Eric Mangini as head coach and install his beloved West Coast Offense. But while things are starting to take shape in Cleveland, oddsmakers aren’t buying into a Browns playoff run in 2011.
Oddsmakers currently list the Browns as 80/1 long shots to win the 2012 Super Bowl and 40/1 long shots to win the AFC. They also have long odds to win the AFC North at +1000, which lists them just above the lowly Bengals (+1400). The Browns only have an over/under of 6.5 games this season, although the over has juice of –125 and the under has juice of –105 (for what that’s worth).
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Along with replacing the coaching staff, Holmgren also signed running back Brandon Jackson, cornerback Dimitri Patterson (Eagles) and safety Usama Young (Saints). In the draft, he traded the No. 6 overall pick in the first round to the Atlanta Falcons and received quite the haul, including a first round pick in 2012, a second round pick in 2011 and two fourth round selections (2011, 2012). Holmgren then turned around and traded up to the No. 21 spot to select Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor and then landed defensive end Jabaal Sheard and receiver Greg Little in the second.
There’s no doubt that Holmgren has a vision for the Browns that he will see executed. But whether or not he hired the right man or has acquired the right mix of players is up for debate. Guys like running back Peyton Hillis will give the Browns a shot each Sunday. But how fast McCoy develops will be the key to whether or not Cleveland will be competing for a playoff spot in the next few seasons, or if its picking high in the draft again soon.
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