<span style="color:#663300"><div align="center">2006 CLEVELAND BROWNS PREVIEW</div><div align="center"></div> Last season the Cleveland Browns finished the year with a dismal 6-10 record. This season Browns fans have a lot of reason to believe they can improve on that record, and begin building for the future. The Browns had one of the busiest off season in the league. The 2006 Browns have a new new look, and could make some noise in the tough AFC North Division. Once free agency finally began this past off season, the Browns became making a splash. They signed center LaCharles Bentley, linebacker Willie McGinnist, and receiver Joe Jurevicius. Unfortunately for Cleveland, Bentley considered by many as the best center in football went down with a season ending knee injury early on in training camp. McGinnist joins his former defensive coordinator in New England Romeo Crennel. McGinnist still ?has some gas in the tank,? and should also be a great mentor to some of the younger guys. Jurevicius, a Cleveland native is a clutch veteran receiver. He will be a vital part of what the Browns do offensively the season. In addition to free agency the Browns changed the complection of the team through the use of the draft. In the first round they selected outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley (Florida State). Wimbley has been impressive early on, showing he can get to the quarterback. In round two they selected inside linebacker D?Qwell Jackson. Jackson is a tough guy with a nose for the ball, and will flourish in the Browns 3-4 system. In the third they selected receiver Travis Wilson (Oklahoma), Wilson is a speed guy who can stretch the field. Nose Tackle Babatunde Oshinowo is another guy who could make an immediate impact. They grabbed him in the 6th round. He?s a big wide body guy built to play nose tackle. The other picks were; middle linebacker Leon Williams (Miami), guard Isaac Sowells (Indiana), running back Jerome Harrison (Washington State), cornerback DeMario Minter (Georgia), fullback Lawrence Vickers (Colorado), and safety Justin Hamilton (Virginia Tech). By my account the Browns had an excellent draft. I would easily rank it top five in the league. Offensively, the Browns struggled to find an identity. Trent Dilfer began the season as the starter, but went down to injury. In stepped Charlie Frye. This season second year quarterback Charlie Frye will be the starter from the onset. Frye showed flashes of brilliance at time last season as a rookie. Frye completed nearly 60% of his passes, and looked more and more comfortable as the season winded down.. This season Frye will be surrounded with a pretty good supporting cast of player. Second year wide receiver, and first round pick in the ?05 draft Braylon Edwards returns from injury as does first round pick from the ?04 draft tight end Kellen Winslow. Edwards played in 10 games last season, hauling in 32 passes for 512 yards and 3 touchdowns. Winslow thus far has been a disappointment playing in only two games thus far due to injury. If he can return to the form he displayed in college, he could easily be one of the top tight ends in the league. In addition to those two Frye will also have Dennis Northcutt, Jurevicius, and Wilson as targets. Northcutt in ?05 hauled in 42 passes for 441 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jurevicius caught 55 passes for 649 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Seattle Seahawks. On the ground the Browns have the tandem of Rueben Droughns and William Green. Droughns torched NFL defenses last season for 1,232 yards. The Browns offense appears to be an upgrade from the unit that finished 26th in the league last season. Defensively the Browns look much stronger that they did a year ago. The brown finished the year right in the middle ranking 16th in total defense. With the addition of McGinnist via free agency and Wimbley, Jackson, and Oshinowo via the draft they should begin to make strides. Other player should be more comfortable in the new 3-4 system as well. I believe the Browns could easily finish in the top 10 in the league in total defense. Andre Davis led the team in tackles last season with an amazing 149 tackles. Leigh Bodden and Brian Russell each picked off 3 passes. Overall, the Browns appear to be one of the most improved teams in the NFL. With the addition of key players along with the return from injury for some others, this is not the same team they were one year ago. If nothing else the Browns have begun the necessary steps to return to the upper echelon of the league.By: Darren Schilling (darnik44)</span>
