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2014 Browns Preview & NFL Football Future Lines & Pick

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The Cleveland Browns hope to escape their annual role as the league’s punching bag this season. The club brings in Mike Pettine to be its new head coach after he did some great things with the Buffalo defense a year ago.

Pettine wasn’t the most notable name to come to Cleveland in the offseason, however, as Johnny Manziel takes his talents from College Station up to Ohio.

Browns 2013 Record: 4-12
Browns AFC North Lines: +600
Browns AFC Lines: +3000
Browns Super Bowl Lines: +6600

The team’s once-promising 2012 first-round draft haul is officially gone, with quarterback Brandon Weeden moving to Dallas, and running back Trent Richardson getting traded to Indianapolis during the regular season last year. Another highly touted draft pick, Greg Little, has found another home.

The biggest offseason loss could be that of wide receiver Josh Gordon. Gordon enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2013, leading the league in receiving yardage by a comfortable margin, but it could go down as his last year with the Browns, and his last year in the league, as he endures some off field troubles.

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With a Josh Gordon suspension looming, a development the Browns’ front office was made aware of prior to the draft, the group elected to forego the selection of a wide receiver, instead bring in veterans Miles Austin and Nate Burleson, also bringing in former Bengal Andrew Hawkins to play in the slot.

Whether it is Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel that wins the starting quarterback job out of camp, that man will need to lean heavily on tight end Jordan Cameron, and the team’s ground game. A strong offensive line will look to break open big holes for running backs Ben Tate and Terrance West.
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For all the attention Manziel has gotten in camp, Hoyer is expected to at least open the season as the starter. He enjoyed success in limited time as the team’s starter a year ago before going down with a season-ending injury.

On defense, the Browns move out a couple of very familiar faces in middle linebacker D’Qwell Jackson and strong safety T.J. Ward, both of whom had been with the team for an extended period of time. They’ll be replaced with a pair of veterans, as Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner step into those roles.

The team’s front seven is a solid unit, but some big bodies up front, and a pair of solid outside linebackers that know how to get to the quarterback in Barkevious Mingo. Mingo in particular could be in for a big year. Coach Pettine was not shy in voicing his praises for Mingo upon his arrival, noting that he pushed for the Bills to acquire the linebacker’s services when he entered the draft.

Mingo burst onto the scene with the Browns a year ago as a rookie, earning a sack on his first play from scrimmage. He had sacks in each of his first three games as a Brown, but finished the year with only five. Coach Pettine will surely focus on getting Mingo into the backfield on a more consistent backfield.

The unit struggled late in games a year ago, so the front office solidified the secondary by bringing in Whitner, a Pro Bowl safety from the 49ers, and using a first-round pick on cornerback Justin Gilbert to play opposite Pro Bowl corner Joe Haden.

Browns Futures Pick & Outlook

There’s a lot to like about what the Brown defense could look like, particularly with Pettine at the helm. The unit could wind up climbing in the elite ranks, given what Pettine did last year with a less-skilled Bills team.

The questions come on offense, where the team loses its top skill player and endures a ton of turnover. With so many wasted drafts in recent years, the team is forced to fill out the roster with fliers and re-treads. The defense will keep the team in games, but they just don’t have the juice on offense to hang around very long. Expect a 5-11 season from the 2014 Browns.

With training camps nearly over the NFL betting season is here at Cappers Picks. NFL Football handicappers have been hard at work putting out the team by team Football Predictions and NFL Season Previews for those of us who can’t wait.

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By Gino Bottero

Gino is new to CappersPicks.com but NOT new to the online gambling industry.He's got an AMAZING knack for discovering hidden gems when it comes to betting on sports. Stick with him as he predicts when a team will have a letdown! Check Gino out for NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB betting articles all season long!