Andrew Berry Acknowledges Browns' Turnovers Have Been Problematic

Cleveland has lost the turnover battle in each of its first four games of the season, but has managed to post a 2-2 record thanks to stellar defense.

Andrew Berry sat down with the media on Wednesday morning to give a slightly-earlier-than-usual "state of the Browns", which he traditionally does during the team's bye week. 

Cleveland was among the first group of teams to have a weekend off this season. Normally teams don't like having a bye week so early in the schedule, but it ultimately came at an important time.

Deshaun Watson's shoulder injury has been a hot topic of conversation the last couple days, and Berry told reporters that the decision to keep him out Sunday against the Ravens wasn't a difficult one.

Watson's health - and improved performance - are critically important for the Browns to achieve their goals this year.

Berry lauded the defensive effort through the first four weeks, but it's clear there is one area in particular that he's unhappy: turnovers.

“We've turned the ball over 10 times in this season and we've lost the turnover battle in all four games that we've played this year,” Berry said. “Quite honestly, that's not a sustainable way to win football games in the NFL.”

Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw three interceptions in his first NFL start Sunday afternoon, filling in for the injured Watson. So how do they right the ship?

Oct 1, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) looks to pass in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns Stadium / © David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

“Number one through five would be ball security,” Berry said. “That is the number one thing that we have to correct. The primary focus, again, we have 10 turnovers in four games, we put five more balls on the ground that weren't covered, recovered by the opponent that alone, and that doesn't mean that we're perfect in every area, no different than any team at this point in the season, but that alone, minimizing that or getting that back to an acceptable standard will make a huge difference.”

Cleveland is 2-2 through the first four games, and ultimately fans aren't terribly upset by that on the surface (considering the Browns have already played three games within the division, which no other team in the NFL had to do).

But considering how frustrating the losses were at Pittsburgh and Baltimore, Nick Chubb's season-ending injury, and how well the defense has played, it sure feels like this team could be in a better spot.

Berry isn't discouraged though, and he hoped Browns fans will take the long view and stay positive.

"We have a really good group of players, who are incredibly hard-working and want to do well for our fans, the city and the team ... I really want our fans to enjoy and lean into this process of watching this team become fully-formed throughout the year," Berry said.