2003 BROWNS
	Holcomb, right, won the battle at QB.
	Head coach: Butch Davis (3rd year). 2002 record: 9-7. AFC North finish: 2nd. Season opener: Sept. 7 vs. Colts. Schedule | Depth chart

Head coach Butch Davis followed his "gut" and picked Kelly Holcomb as his starting quarterback. The Browns will now try to follow Holcomb, not former No. 1 overall pick Tim Couch, back to the playoffs. Change was the theme of the offseason in Cleveland. Davis cut four linebackers and the team's best cover corner, Corey Fuller. Defensive coordinator Foge Fazio resigned and was replaced by former Cowboys head coach Dave Campo.

Campo's job is to rework a defense that imploded in the team's playoff loss to Pittsburgh in January. The Browns had the Steelers on the ropes but allowed 29 points in the last 18:50.

Holcomb was brilliant in that contest, shredding the Pittsburgh secondary for 429 yards in a performance that vaulted him into the quarterback competition. In the preseason, Holcomb further stepped up his game, making Davis' choice a relatively easy one if just judging the quarterbacks by performance. Davis obviously did. Holcomb only has four career starts, but he is well-versed in Bruce Arians' offense -- much more so than Couch.

All eyes will be on Holcomb when he faces off against Peyton Manning and the Colts on Sept. 7. But attention must also be paid to the defense, which has struggled in the preseason. It needs to pick up its play -- and fast -- if the Browns are to finish above .500.

Offense
Quarterbacks: The 30-year-old Holcomb finally gets a shot at being a full-time starter. Holcomb was Peyton Manning's backup in Indianapolis for three seasons (1998-2000) but never took a snap. He came to Cleveland in 2001 to be Couch's backup but only attempted 12 passes. Injuries to Couch in 2002 allowed Holcomb into the lineup, and he immediately became a fan and team favorite with his big-play flair. In light of his comfort with the offense, strong arm and quick decision-making, Holcomb looks poised to have a big year. Couch now must get accustomed to Holcomb's old role, that of the well-prepared, supportive backup. The Browns are said to be pleased with the way Couch has handled his demotion. No. 3 quarterback Josh Booty has an arm befitting a former minor-league baseball player, but he still needs more time to develop.
Grade: B-minus.

Running backs: William Green was injury-prone and ineffective in the first nine games of his rookie season. But after the team's bye week in Week 10, Green took off, racking up 726 yards in the last seven games. In the offseason, Green worked with sprint coach Roger Kingdom and learned from running back coach Todd McNair how to break down game tape. Green is a tough inside runner with the speed to go the distance. In the preseason, he stunned the Packers by taking a Holcomb screen pass and sprinting for an 82-yard touchdown. The Browns haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since 1985, but Green has a very good shot at breaking that streak. Backup Jamel White is shifty and catches the ball well, but his preseason was marked by a concussion and hamstring injury. Third-year back James Jackson will provide depth. The Browns might have gotten a steal by snagging Lee Suggs in the fourth round of the draft, but the rookie won't contribute until later in the season because of injuries.
Grade: B.

Receivers: The Browns spent the franchise's first four second-round picks (1999-2002) on wide receivers Kevin Johnson, Dennis Northcutt, Quincy Morgan and André Davis. The result is a wide receiver corps that few teams can match. Johnson and Morgan are the starters. Johnson is the slowest of the group, but he has great hands. Morgan is a gamebreaker who could particularly benefit from Holcomb's ascension to starter. He led the NFL in yards per catch (17.2) a season ago. Northcutt, who caught five touchdowns from Holcomb in 2002 (including playoffs), is also a dangerous punt returner. Davis missed most of the preseason with a knee injury. When he's in the lineup, he has speed and athleticism rarely seen in a third or fourth receiver. The Browns rarely throw to the tight end, but Davis does seem to like former Charger Steve Heiden. Darnell Sanders, a fourth-round pick in 2002, has been a disappointment. Aaron Shea could swing to tight end, but the Browns started him at H-back in the third preseason game at Detroit.
Grade: A-minus.

Offensive linemen: First-round pick Jeff Faine, who replaces Dave Wohlabaugh, has the potential to become an All-Pro center. After getting beaten a few times early in camp, Faine has settled in. The other starters probably would have remained the same, with Ross Verba and Ryan Tucker at tackle and Barry Stokes and Shaun O'Hara at guard, but a ruptured right biceps tendon ended Verba's season, forcing Davis to seek an adequate replacement at the vital left tackle spot.
Grade: C-minus.

Defense
Defensive linemen: More than ever, the Browns need their highly paid front four to step up. End Courtney Brown, the No. 1 pick in 2000, has been a bust. Injuries have plagued Brown, who had knee microfracture surgery in the offseason. Brown returned to the lineup in the Detroit game but didn't make an impact. When healthy, Brown can be the pass rusher that the other end, Kenard Lang, can't. The Browns also are looking for more out of tackle Gerard Warren, who came into this season vowing to play better than he did a season ago. Warren must get a push up the middle if the Browns are to improve vs. the run (27th in 2002). Orpheus Roye, the other starter at defensive tackle, is coming off a solid season. Third tackle Alvin McKinley has outplayed Warren in the preseason. Reserve end Mark Word had eight sacks last season. The Browns like what they've seen from sixth-round pick Antonio Garay, a defensive tackle from Boston College who has had trouble staying healthy in the past.
Grade: C.

Linebackers: The Browns will start three second-year players here -- strong-side linebacker Kevin Bentley, middle linebacker Andra Davis and weak-side linebacker Ben Taylor. All have good athleticism, but none of them has started in the NFL. Davis impressed the team in limited action a season ago. He doesn't have blazing speed, but he has a nose for the ball. Bentley played on passing downs last season. Taylor's rookie season was cut short by leg injuries. Veteran Barry Gardner will provide depth, as will Brant Boyer. Second-round pick Chaun Thompson needs some time to develop, but he is big, strong and fast.
Grade: C-minus.

Defensive backs: Now that Fuller plays for division rival Baltimore, Anthony Henry will start at one cornerback spot. Henry intercepted 10 passes as a rookie, but he benefited from playing mainly on third downs -- and a lot of luck. Henry started 10 games last season but intercepted only two passes as he adjusted to being a three-down player. Daylon McCutcheon is the other starter. The team ultimately views him as a third cornerback. Lewis Sanders and rookie Michael Lehan, who have better size than McCutcheon, are backups. Strong safety Robert Griffith is hoping to bounce back from a down year, but he missed much of the preseason with a broken finger. Michael Jameson backs up Griffith. Free safety Earl Little intercepted five passes in 2002. Rookie Chris Crocker, whom the Browns eventually want to move to cornerback, is Little's backup.
Grade: C.

Special teams
The Browns are the best in this area in the AFC North. Placekicker Phil Dawson has a strong leg and hit 22-of-28 field-goal attempts a season ago. One-third of punter Chris Gardocki's 81 punts were downed inside the 20 in 2002, and he was fourth in the AFC in net punting. Northcutt is one of the NFL's most dangerous punt returners (two punt-return touchdowns in '02), while André Davis returned a kickoff for a touchdown last season. Rookie long-snapper Ryan Pontbriand takes over for Ryan Kuehl, who signed with the Giants.
Grade: A-minus.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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