It’s hard to be optimistic each and ever year about the Cleveland Browns and keep ending up being disappointed. There is less excitement about change this year. It’s more about beginning a positive process, with Jordan Cameron, their standout tight end who had a breakout season last year, relied upon to get even better.

Cameron, 25, caught 80 passes while being targeted 117 times to finish with 917 yards and 7 touchdowns. It certainly helped that defenses were busy trying to slow down Josh Gordon, but it’s worth remembering the awful quarterback situation the Browns had going for them last season, which isn’t any different than any other season for a franchise that has forgotten what a winning season looks like.

Johnny Manziel brings a lot of hype and expectations with him, but for those looking beyond the superficial, it’s going to be another rough year for the Browns. Manziel will need to change a lot in order to succeed in the NFL. The Browns once again changed too many key personnel in their staff to expect great success right away. They need to hope the process is going to be headed in the right direction, and that hopefully no one will stop it from being fulfilled this time.

Gordon is going to miss four games, not a full season, which makes things a lot easier and comfortable for everyone, especially Cameron. It might have been an opportunity to show that his numbers and Pro Bowl status next to Gordon didn’t come just because of a great player next to him, but obviously everyone is quite happy that Gordon is going to be playing, hopefully improving as well.

So while more improvement is hard to gauge during this stage of spring transferring into summer, Kevin Jones of Clevelandbrowns.com is quite optimistic that at least when it comes to Cameron, there is enough to be optimistic about.

The Pro Bowler was impossible to cover in the spring. Maybe it’s just mundane OTAs and minicamp. Or maybe Cameron, 25, is still improving as a dual-threat receiver who can line up anywhere; a scary thought. Last season the Browns targeted Cameron 117 times. Only Jimmy Graham and Tony Gonzalez saw more passes slung their way. Comparing the film, the 6-foot-5, 249-pound Cameron has shown improved foot work and explosion in the open field once he has the football.

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