The Cleveland Browns continue to raise eyebrows, if that is even possible after posting an abysmal 1-15 record in the regular season last year. The team appears to be trying to seriously improve from last year, while building towards the future as well. We will take a look at some of the notable offseason transactions the organization has undertaken as they prepare for the new season.

No matter which way you look at it, the Browns certainly had one of the most interesting offseasons in a long time. One major move was their acquisition of  Brock Osweiler, along with the entirety of of his $16 million salary from the Houston Texans and a future second round pick. This move certainly made sense in the eyes of football fans; the Browns were significantly under the salary cap and obtaining a second round draft pick was well worth taking on the extra salary. Some around the league felt that Osweiler might even start for the team. That was, however, until the Browns released the quarterback this past Friday. Osweiler was subsequently picked up by the Denver Broncos who will pay him the veteran’s minimum salary of  $775,000, meaning the Browns will pay over $15 million for just a second round pick.

Another large development for the Browns was the talent acquired in the NFL draft. Loaded with early draft picks, the Browns were able to take advantage and bring in some quality talent to the franchise. The star was No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett, the best player in the draft by consensus. The Browns were also able to acquire multi-position player Jabrill Peppers from the University of Michigan. Peppers was a Heisman Trophy contender and will be expected to fill many roles for the team in the coming years.

Out of the second round, the Browns nabbed quarterback DeShone Kizer. Kizer had a fantastic preseason for a rookie fresh from college and earned the starting job for the upcoming season. With all the talent surrounding the team, it would not be surprising to anyone if the Browns show drastic improvement this upcoming season.

As the Browns gear up for another season, they unfortunately were not able to keep all of the promising young talent on the team. Terrelle Pryor, whom the Browns refused to offer the franchise tag to, left in free agency after an inability to secure a long term contact.  The Browns also released former first round pick Joe Haden, who manned the cornerback position since 2010. Even though Haden had been battling some injury problems the past few seasons, the consensus by the players around the league was that the 28-year old still has a lot left in the tank. Haden was subsequently signed by the Steelers just a few hours later.

The Browns have done major reshuffling this offseason as they look to begin the rebuild of a franchise starting their 27th quarterback since 1999, by far the most in the NFL. The organization is going to bank on the performances of young talent, along with the consistency of their seasoned veterans, to bring his franchise out of the dumps. While no one predicts the Browns competing for a playoff spot this coming season, there is hope that the team is trending in the right direction and will look to become a competitive team over the next few seasons. For now, fans will have to endure another rough season of Browns football.