The Browns organization was embarrassed and dismayed by their 1-15 record this past season. Expectations for the second year of the Sashi Brown/John DePodesta/Hue Jackson team — and the sixth year of the Haslam regime — are for a quantum leap toward success.

It’s pithy to say that there’s nowhere to go but up, but so many things still need to break in our favor to make real headway in this competitive 32-team league. Injuries and inertia are two central examples.

Every team sustains injuries, but the Browns need to become one of the teams that get hurt less often and less seriously than others. Ultimately, injuries are no excuse, but they are a painfully real factor. We suffer in lost development, poorer unit cohesion, and games missed outright. There is room for competitive advantage in training methods that better prevent injuries, particularly of the soft tissue variety.

As for inertia, the losing culture persists and permeates so much surrounding the Browns. What will it take to become a preferred destination for players, or coaches for that matter? What will it take for players to expect to win in the end and play not just hard, but with confidence? What will it take for underlying perceptions about the Browns to improve to at least neutral among such groups as the media and the officials? Last year the Browns dipped below the .500 line for the first time, becoming overall a losing franchise, if their AAFC exploits are excluded, which they typical are. Considering the strength of their teams throughout the ’50s and ’60s, that’s remarkable. And it must change.

So, more as a place-marker than anything, here’s a bare outline of the major tasks before the Browns as they set out for a sunnier 2017 and beyond.

complete coaching staff

• replacement for Pep Hamilton, departed assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach
• veteran assistants Bob Wylie (OL) and DeWayne Walker (DB) reportedly hired (unofficial)
• about three more defensive assistants needed (OLB, ILB, asst. DB)

evaluate current roster

• top-to-bottom review of production, potential, professionalism, & contract status
• which if any current QBs project to potential quality starters?
• weakest positional groups: QB, S, OLB