How did the 2019 Browns team, players stack up against preseason odds?

The Browns need to figure out how to make the most of their talent after failing to live up to sky-high expectations.

By Ameer Tyree@its_ameericle Feb 21, 2020, 6:45am PST

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in the huddle with quarterback Baker Mayfield against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.

Preseason odds for NFL teams is a good way to look back to see expectations for the season and start to understand where things went wrong or right. Below, we will take a look at DraftKings Sportsbook’s preseason odds for win totals, division titles, player props and more while we discuss what led to their triumphs or disappointments.

Team Futures

Super Bowl: +1400
AFC North: +150 (finished third)
Win Total Over/Under: 9.5 (finished 6-10)

Player Props

Baker Mayfield MVP: +1400
Baker Mayfield passing yards: 4,325.5 (finished with 3,827)
Baker Mayfield passing TDs: 31.5 (finished with 22)
Nick Chubb rushing yards: 1,125.5 (finished with 1,494)
Nick Chubb rushing TDs: 9.5 (finished with 8)
David Njoku receiving yards: 650.5 (finished with 41)
David Njoku receiving TDs: 4.5 (finished with 1)
Jarvis Landry receiving yards: 825.5 (finished with 1,174)
Jarvis Landry receiving TDs: 6.5 (finished with 6)
Odell Beckham Jr. receiving yards: 1,125.5
Odell Beckham Jr. receiving TDs: 9.5 (finished with 4)
Myles Garrett DPOY: +1400

The Cleveland Browns went from zeros to heroes overnight ahead of the 2019 season. Baker Mayfield put together an exciting rookie season after being promoted to a starting role last year and was gifted Kareem Hunt and Odell Beckham Jr. over the offseason. That paired duo paired with Jarvis Landry and David Njoku made for a dynamic offense on paper. Then there’s running back Nick Chubb and stud edge rusher Myles Garrett. But all that young talent couldn’t measure up to new expectations.

Cleveland kicked off its season with a blowout home loss to the Tennessee Titans, and that wasn’t the last time it was beaten badly during the season. The Browns fell short on the national stage several times after that. Stars didn’t show up, and that can’t happen on a team that aspires to be a legitimate contender.

Mayfield was far from the quarterback he was in his rookie year. He fell off significantly in his sophomore season and barely eclipsed his passing yards total for 2018, despite playing in two more games and being a Week 1 starter. He fell short on all his prop bets, but Cleveland’s lack of consistency on the offensive line was a major contributing factor to his poor production. Freddie Kitchens’ decisions as a first year head coach were also questionable at times, but now the Browns will get a fresh start with Kevin Stefanski. Cleveland is on its third coach in three years and has the talent to compete for a title, but it needs a leader who can capitalize on its strengths and make the most of its assets.

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