John Dorsey has fed the wildfires in Cleveland by adding Odell Beckham Jr. to his already young roster of wild and enthusiastic loose cannons, but will these additions culminate in sustained success?
In the past 2 months, the Browns have added players based on their ability to play and have taken risks despite off-field issues. Sheldon Richardson, Kareem Hunt, Odell Beckham Jr., Baker Mayfield and Antonio Callaway have all shown moments of weakness and lack of judgment while not in uniform. However, their production in uniform has nearly warranted the headaches that can come with their rambunctious ‘extra-curricular’ activities. If there is another thing that these players have in common, it is their love of football and their willingness to work extremely hard despite doubts and concerns about their game. Maybe that is what Dorsey values most in these players, that chip on their shoulder and a refusal to settle.
John Dorsey has never been one to take a risk on a player if their talent merits it. John Dorsey has now acquired Kareem Hunt twice after knowing there were concerns with him (these concerns are part of the reason why the Cleveland-born Hunt ended up at the nearby University of Toledo instead of a larger program). Dorsey also drafted Tyreek Hill, Marcus Peters Baker Mayfield and Antonio Callaway who all had various ‘distractions’ before they were drafted by him. A lot can be learned about how this may play out by looking back at Dorsey’s track record with the Chiefs.
The culture that is being created is far different from the one that permeated the Browns’ locker room for the past 10 years. A foul stench of gloom and dismay has been replaced with something more than optimism and excitement. It has been replaced with a brazen bravado that says “If you don’t wear orange and brown, you don’t matter”. For almost two decades Cleveland has been the laughing stock of the NFL and the fans have been subjected to saying “there is always next year”. It has been part of the Browns brand and even has created websites like Waiting For Next Year.
But in the undercurrent of sadness that has streamed through Cleveland via the Cuyahoga