Eight Elite Takes As Browns Wrap Up First Month Of New League Year

March is coming to a close and as the greatest postseason in sports takes place, I give eight elite takes as Cleveland turns the page to April

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett plays basketball against linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah after drills, Wednesday, June 7, 2023 / AP Photo / Ron Schwane

March may not be the most important month of the NFL calendar but for every NFL franchise, it is the true first step in building their Super Bowl winner for the upcoming season.

March is also everyone's favorite time of year to take in college hoops with the NCAA Tournament well underway. Whether you like NCAA basketball or it hurts your eyes to watch, you know what March Madness is and the excitement that is wrapped up in it. The bracket has been widdled down to the Elite Eight and the regional championships will take place on Saturday and Sunday.

As the Browns also close the book on March and look to April, here are my Elite Eight takes from the month that was as Cleveland prepares for 2024.

1. Somehow Nick Chubb is going to be playing in 2024

We forget that these players are real human beings and not just characters in a video game. When they get injured, there is sometimes a real concern that they may never play again. Nick Chubb's knee injury is still pretty unconformable to remember from all the way back in Week 2. I think if most Browns fans are telling the truth they are nervous to see what the No. 24 looks like moving forward but when he steps onto that field again next season it will be an all-time memorable moment for Browns fans.

Sep 10, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) runs with the ball / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

2. Ken Dorsey and Kevin Stefanski are going to be the perfect union of football philosophies

I have been banging this drum since the first rumor of Ken Dorsey interviewing for the Browns offensive coordinator job that he and Kevin Stefanski are going to be yin and yang. Stefnaski's conservative offensive background with Dorsey's "send it" mentality will create an offensive attack that we've never seen in Cleveland.

3. Jerry Jeudy is the perfect addition to this offense

For years we have been trying to find a guy who can stretch the field in Cleveland and now we have it with Jerry Jeudy. Not only can Jeudy be a deep threat but he isn't a "one-trick pony" like some of our other speedsters have been in the past. Jeudy will further unlock Amari Cooper, David Njoku and Elijah Moore.

4. Build a Dome

There is real smoke around Cleveland creating a "Browns Town" surrounded by a State-of-the-Art Stadium in Brook Park. It sure would be fun to have 10 perfect 70-degree games in the fall, a Super Bowl, a Final Four, concert tours and so much more.

5. I'll miss Joe Flacco but it doesn't really matter

Joe Flacco gave us the best month and a half of football that we have seen since 2020, but let's not confuse it with great football. He had a gunslinger's mentality and while throwing for a ton of yards he had some questionable decision making at times. Truth be told, if we are relying on our backups again, we'll be in trouble.

6. The AFC North is so good

This isn't a hot take but a statement of fact. Outside of the Ravens, everyone in the AFC North got considerably better this offseason. Pittsburgh is taking two low-risk chances in their quarterback room and they got the best defensive player available in free agency this year. Cincinnati snagged a bunch of depth pieces along with Trent Brown on offense and Geno Stone on defense. Cleveland reloaded a lot of depth and added Jerry Jeudy, while Baltimore primarily lost some key pieces. Regardless, this division is going to be a gauntlet in 2024. Just the way we want it, right?

7. I'm excited to have a first-round pick again in 2025

Having a first round selection is so much more fun than not having one. This is Cleveland's last year of not having a first-round selection as a result of the Deshaun Watson trade. It will be great to get back into day one of the draft in 2025.

Oct 15, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) signals to the / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

8. Hammer the Browns Over 8.5 Wins

Get it while you can if you still can. The Browns opened the betting year in Vegas with an 8.5 line on their win total. I don't expect the Browns to go undefeated, but 8.5 for this roster doesn't seem right. I'd go to your local sportsbook immediately and get this one in.

Cleveland had a really good March. They laid a great foundation for the 2024 season it's onto the draft draft at the end of April.