BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have known nothing but struggles in recent seasons, and those setbacks led to an offseason of overhauling the roster, coaching staff and front office.
However, after the offseason program in the spring and a three-week training camp that concluded at the team’s Berea training facility Tuesday, new quarterback Tyrod Taylor is confident the team is on the right track.
“I've seen those steps, but it's also still early,” Taylor said when comparing the 2018 Browns to the 2017 Buffalo Bills, who broke a 17-year playoff drought despite being expected to struggle through the entire season.
“The true test is once Week 1 starts. Of course, right now, we're molding and shaping the team to be able to go out there this year and do those things that you speak about, but I think this team is headed in the right direction for sure. The attitude is right, the energy is right in the locker room. We just have to remain focused throughout a full season and be able to withstand the ups and downs of a season.”
According to Taylor, while people on the outside of the organization believed the Bills were headed for the top of the 2018 NFL Draft board not through a trade, but because of a lack of success, the players and coaches never let such talk influence the mood of the locker room.
And Taylor is trying to bring that same mindset to the Browns, who enter the 2018 season after posting a 1-31 record over the last two years and coming off of only the second 0-16 regular season in NFL history.
“It wasn’t a perfect season, but it was something we came together to a point that I hadn’t seen the previous years that I was there,” Taylor said. “We never really listened to the outside noise. I know a team that’s successful is able to stay focused and keep their mind focused on the goal.
“Different leaders have done a good job of stepping up and holding each other accountable and just trying to show some of the younger guys the ropes and let them know that it’s a week-to-week (thing). You can’t necessarily let the outside noise affect you. You have to remain focused because there’s a bunch of ups and downs in a season, and the team that can stay focused throughout all that comes out successful in the end.”
After going through a three-week training camp with an overhauled roster and potential playmakers at wide receiver, tight end and running back, Taylor believes the Browns’ offense “can be very good” and help lead the franchise’s turnaround in 2018.
“It boils down each week to execution and us going out there and winning our one-on-one matchups, of course on the outside, with me getting the ball to those guys,” Taylor said. “Just execution across the board.”
Stream Live with fuboTV -Try Free Trial
