CLEVELAND, Ohio - It’s the ultimate “what if” scenario for any NFL franchise without an elite quarterback: What if the team had one of the league’s best under center?
That tantalizing hypothetical was posed by Browns fan Terry Ramey, a long-time listener of the Terry’s Talkin’ podcast. for this week’s episode.
“If the Browns had Joe Burrow as their quarterback, would they be legit Super Bowl contenders?” he asked in an email.
With a player of Burrow’s caliber, how good could the Browns really be?
Cleveland.com columnist Terry Pluto answered quickly and definitively: “You’re at nine wins.”
Pluto said that while an elite quarterback changes everything, he can’t fix everything.
The most significant limitation holding back the Browns’ hypothetical Burrow-led resurgence? According to Pluto, it’s the defensive backfield.
“The secondary really, really worries me with the Browns. And it worries the Browns, I can tell you that,” Pluto said of a unit that already is missing Martin Emerson Jr. to a season-ending Achilles injury.
The hypothetical Burrow scenario also invites comparison between the Browns’ supporting cast and what Burrow currently works with in Cincinnati. While the Browns likely have an advantage on the offensive line, the receiving corps still lacks the firepower of the Bengals’ elite group with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Pluto said maybe the most intriguing element of the Burrow scenario is how he might perform in Kevin Stefanski’s offense, which has historically been friendly to quarterbacks who can execute from the pocket.
Pluto predicted the Browns will go 7-10 this season, meaning Burrow would be worth two wins in Pluto’s answer to the hypothetical.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
If you have a question or a topic you’d like to see included on the podcast, email it to sports@cleveland.com, and put “Terry’s Talkin’” in the subject line.
You can find previous podcasts below.
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