The Browns' offense has been consistently bad since re-entering the league almost a decade ago. They have lacked competency from the quarterback position, they have had a perennially porous offensive line, and their skill position players have been lackluster at best. With two first round draft picks spent on offense this year, is there a reason to be optimistic about this offense? Well, let's just say that the Browns O will more likely resemble the ’06 Browns than the '99 Rams. While there are several pieces in place, there are a few key missing ingredients. Let's take a look at the Browns’ offense this season.

Quarterback - Few teams have such a gaping hole in their offense. I've been listening to Cleveland fans tout Charlie Frye as the next Bernie Kosar for years, and frankly, I'm sick of it. While I appreciate his heart and toughness, he doesn't have the arm to make all the throws and his decision making ability is often highly questionable. Just because he's starting on the Browns doesn't mean he would be anything more than a backup anywhere else. Derek Anderson is similar in that he hasn't done anything and his decision making is often questionable. The most impressive thing about him thus far has been his abnormally large feet (size 17). Of course, these two below average options are merely keeping the seat warm for Brady Quinn.

The Browns' new golden boy has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way with his holdout and charging fans a hefty fee for his autograph at a recent signing. Cleveland doesn't tolerate prima donnas, and Quinn needs to prove something on the field before he is accepted. While he has never won the big game and lacks superb arm strength, Quinn is the most polished quarterback entering the NFL this year. According to one ESPN reporter, the statistic that correlates most closely between college success and NFL success is number of games started on the collegiate level. Not accuracy, not arm strength, but games started. While that may seem silly at first glance, it does make sense. The more game time a player sees and the more the opposition sets up counters for him, the more he has to adjust to be successful. The ability to adjust to NFL defenses quickly is invaluable, and Quinn had plenty of experience under center at Notre Dame.

Running Back - This could be a major problem area for the Browns. Jamal Lewis is on the downside of his career. Since his 2,000 yard season he has declined significantly. While he did rush for over 1,000 yards last season, that is no longer an impressive feat in today's NFL (it's only 63 yards per game over a 16 game season). The more important number is his mediocre 3.6 yards per carry. An even bigger issue than having Lewis as the new starter is the lack of depth at the position. Lewis's backups, Jerome Harrison and Jason Wright, ran the ball a combined 82 times for 249 yards last season. That is the opposite of impressive. Couple that with uncertainty along the offensive line, and you have an offense that is going to struggle mightily running the ball.