No one thought that 2-7 would be where the Cleveland Browns stood at their bye week. After a terrible first nine weeks of the season, that is exactly where they stand.

Things have not gone to plan for the Browns and it has been a huge disappointment. Cleveland decided to be a seller at the trade deadline and it made sense with the playoffs being close to impossible at this point.

“We haven’t done the things that are needed to achieve consistent results and position wins throughout the season,” GM Andrew Berry said on Wednesday. “It’s disappointing for us internally, disappointing for our fans, and really all of us share in the record. It’s not just our players and coaches. It’s myself, it’s our personnel staff, it’s our research group.”

With eight games left on their schedule, all the Browns can do now is try to be a better team in the second half of the season. A part of the process will include getting an extended look at younger talent on the roster. Evaluating the younger players now will help Cleveland mold their future. Wide receiver Cedric Tillman, defensive end Isaiah McGuire, and defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. are a few to watch in the second half of the season.

Cleveland Browns’ remaining schedule after the bye week

@ New Orleans Saints

Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

@ Denver Broncos

@ Pittsburgh Steelers

Vs. Kansas City Chiefs

@ Cincinnati Bengals

Vs. Miami Dolphins

@ Baltimore Ravens

Prior to the season, it looked as if the final game against the Ravens would have big implications. Now it doesn’t and it very well could be a game that the Ravens rest their starters ahead of the playoffs. Cleveland’s schedule is a tough one the rest of the way. Two games against Pittsburgh in three weeks, as well as games against the Chiefs and there is at Denver too, where the Browns have struggled in the past.

“I think number one, our focus is on the short term and the long term,” Berry said. “I’d say short term, playing good football here down the stretch and making sure that we make the adjustments over the bye week that will enable us to do that. And in terms of longer-term planning, we never look at it just in terms of in a vacuum, in a single-year focus. We’ll have the resources and we’ll be able to make the adjustments that allow us to continue to build the team and the roster.”

As of right now, Jameis Winston is set to be the quarterback for the rest of the season after starting the last two games. The future for Deshaun Watson with the team is a questionable one. Cleveland is still looking for their franchise quarterback.

Finishing strong could improve the feeling of the Browns for the future. But what has been done in 2024 already is done. The Browns have put a big failure in front of their fans and really fumbled the season away.

“I think every organization wants to finish strong, and that’s no different for us. Look, we are blessed with the opportunity to have eight more games, eight more scheduled games in the regular season, and our goal is to maximize that. Look, we can’t change the past, we can’t change the first nine games, but we do have control over the next eight, and that’s going to be our focus moving forward.”

Browns GM Andrew Berry delivers his take on Kevin Stefanski’s future with Cleveland

He thinks he is part of the fix.