Coming off an 0-16 season with a new starting quarterback, a polarizing No. 1 overall pick and no shortage of personalities, the Cleveland Browns possess a plethora of storylines to be explored in the 2018 offseason.
So much so, that many seemed to believe that the Browns are the most likely candidate to land on HBO's 'Hard Knocks' this summer.
Not so fast, however, says the team's new general manager, John Dorsey. Appearing on ESPN Cleveland 850's 'The Really Big Show' on Wednesday morning, the Browns' first-year GM said he doesn't think his team will be the subject of HBO's annual summer docuseries, which features one NFL team throughout training camp.
"I don't believe we're on Hard Knocks,'' Dorsey said. "I don't think there's anything good that comes out of Hard Knocks, but we'll see.''
That doesn't necessarily mean the Browns won't be picked. In fact, unless another team volunteers to be the Hard Knocks subject this season, Cleveland is one of six teams that the NFL could force to appear on the show. Typically, teams that have either made the playoffs in either of the previous two seasons, are bringing in a new head coach or have been featured in the past 10 years have been allowed to turn down the show, with the Browns failing to meet any of the three exemptions in 2018.
'Hard Knocks,' which debuted in 2001, has yet to feature the Browns. The show most recently followed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2017.
If the Browns do wind up being the subject of the show this summer, Dorsey said he'll go along with it.
"I can go either way, you guys,'' he said. "I mean, it's the way football is, and, you know, I'm OK with it either way."
