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Browns fans have very clear but varied expectations for the team in 2023

The Browns season is a make or break for Kevin Stefanski & Andrew Berry according to our readers

By Jared Mueller
/ new
Cleveland Browns Offseason Workout Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images

Technically, we are in Week 1 of the preseason with the Cleveland Browns taking on the Washington Commanders on Friday night. Despite being Week 1, the Browns are 1-0 this preseason thanks to their victory over the New York Jets in the Hall of Fame game.

Everyone knows this is a big season for Cleveland’s football franchise with so much invested, both financially and draft capital, in the roster. GM Andrew Berry and HC Kevin Stefanski have been tied at the hip since being hired in 2020. Going into their fourth season together, the Browns roster is the best we’ve seen in a long time.

What is successful is always an interesting question. Just this week, I chipped out of a sand trap to about five or six feet away from the hole. The guys in my group congratulated me on a good shot. One of those guys had a long putt that he missed and ended up right next to my ball. He lamented his bad shot.

Despite being right next to each other (we ended up with the same bogey on the hole), my shot was considered good and his was bad.

With USA Today having the best worst-case scenario prediction for the team for this season, we asked our readers what they would consider successful for the team. 45 comments and counting as of this piece's publishing, Browns fans have some very clear and high expectations:

Playoffs

JimBrownForeverTheBest
For me, we absolutely must make the playoffs -- I simply cannot call anything short of postseason play a "success."

A simple set of expectations where a winning record is just not good enough. Many of the comments agreed that the playoffs were the minimum but a few replies to that comment said even making the playoffs was not good enough. They weren’t the only ones with higher expectations.

Playoff Victory

afu97
Playoffs is the success expecatation any year. I'm not big on Division Lead, in of itself. Only love it in that our playoff seed and chances get better.
So making the playoffs / division lead is neutral to me. We spent too much money after a losing season to think that making the playoffs is enough.
We gotta win one playoff game to believe it's a successful season (and Deshaun is worth the contract). Show we have what it wins to win a game of that level.
Otherwise its back to the drawing board. I can't see KS and AB on the hot seat, but it's possible. If we have two more bad seasons (sub 0.500) in a row, we're in complete rebuild and they're gone.

Similar to Cleveland’s playoff appearance in 2020, at least winning one game in the playoffs could be tough given the field in the AFC in 2023. For some, that is not enough, however.

AFC Championship Game

Former_homer
AFC Championship game!
No more excuses!
Anything less is a failure!

The Browns would either have to have the best record in the AFC and win one game or win two games including at least one against teams like the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets.

Even that isn’t enough for some:

Super Bowl

Slaytanic Brownie
With our roster and the amount of money that has and will be spent to put it together.. We have to make it to the super bowl for this season to be a success. A good season if we make the playoffs and get a win or two

When someone attempted to slow down the high expectations, the reaction was what you would have expected:

JustPlainBrowns
Brakes are out on this b#tch; we're riding a runaway hype train now baby! WoooHooo!

What do you think? Join the comment section here or jump in the original Community Conversation to share your thoughts on what success is.

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