New coach Romeo Crennel and new general manager Phil Savage wasted
no time laying waste to the team they inherited, and with good reason. The Browns have the lowest winning percentage in the league over the past six years and last season collapsed completely. The defense was the worst in the league against the run, the coverage teams were so poor that 38 opponents' drives started in Cleveland territory and the offense finished 28th overall and was 31st in first downs per game. No wonder Savage and Crennel have completely remade the face of their team.

Eleven players who started at least two games were gone within a month, 12 defensive players who saw considerable playing time in 2004 are gone and more than half the roster is new. That includes all four of the starting defensive lineman inherited by Crennel and three fourths of the secondary. Come Sept. 11, at least 13 starters from a year ago will have been replaced. Yet the rebuilding work has just begun.

The Browns hoped to build a inside running game by adding free agent guards Joe Andruzzi and Cosey Coleman and 1,200-yard rusher Reuben Droughns to the mix while trying to create a passing attack that centered around No. 1 draft choice Braylon Edwards and last year's No. 1, tight end Kellen Winslow, Jr. But Winslow destroyed his leg and other body parts trying to imitate Evel Kneivel and is lost for another season, and Edwards may have a hard time duplicating his performance at Michigan this season.

Journeyman Trent Dilfer has taken over at quarterback in hopes he'll avoid mistakes and keep the Browns in games, two skills he possesses. But there's only so much a reliable old hand can do, and in this case it won't be enough to help the Browns win many games. Points will be in short supply on most Sundays, so defense will be important, but Crennel is trying to build a 3-4 alignment with players not fit for that formation. He believes he will get good play out of defensive end Orpheus Raye and free agent acquisition Jason Fink, a defensive tackle from San Diego. That's a start but the linebacking is still questionable and the secondary will need help from draft choices Brodney Pool and Antonio Perkins along with free agent Gary Baxter and second year player Sean Jones if it is to show significant improvement.

HOT SEAT: Reuben Droughns and Lee Suggs. Droughns rushed for 1,240 yards last year with the Broncos yet Denver was willing to ship him to Cleveland because the Broncos felt he lacked home run speed. Now he and holdover Lee Suggs, who rushed for over 100 yards in each of his final three games last season in Cleveland, are being asked to carry the bulk of the load in a conservative offense. If they can grind out yards, the defense is protected and the Browns will have chances for a few upsets. If they can't, they may get the No. 1 pick in the draft this year instead of No. 3.

OVERHEARD: New offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon has to convince skeptical outsiders that he knows what he's doing as Crennel's new offensive chief. This is his fourth year serving as someone's offensive coordinator in three different locales, but Carthon has never been allowed to call the plays until now. He has something to prove but not many weapons to do it with.

OUTLOOK: There is too much work to do here on both sides of the ball for Crennel to turn things around in one year. They'll make advances and before the year is out Crennel's defense will rise up and upset some unsuspecting contender when they least expect it but this looks like a long season of discontent in Cleveland.

PREDICTION: Fourth

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