Can the Cleveland Browns' secondary pass muster? Hey, Mary Kay!

In 10 games last season, safety Tashaun Gipson had 23 solo tackles, six assists and this interception against Kansas City. (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

Hey, Mary Kay: The Browns have done basically nothing to address the safety position except draft somebody in the sixth round. Is this not a concern? -- Angelo Costanzo, Cleveland

Hey, Angelo: Second-year defensive back Tashaun Gipson has the early lead on the starting free safety job, and sixth-round pick Jamoris Slaughter (Achilles) will be worked into the mix when he gets healthy. The Browns are working second-year DB Johnson Bademosi at safety instead of cornerback this year.

Hey, Mary Kay: With the draft now over, have the Browns shown interest in any available free agents not named Hoyer? i.e. Charles Woodson? -- Brian, Columbia Station

Hey, Brian: Woodson signed with the Raiders, but the Browns aren't in the market for players well over 30, so he wasn't on their radar. Generally, they're signing players in the 27-year-old range who will have something left when the Browns hit their stride in two or three years.

Hey, Mary Kay: I don't see any QB controversy. Weeden is the guy until he shows he can't do it. With two experienced NFL QBs behind Weeden the Browns have the best depth at QB that they may have ever had. This is a team with quite a bit of good talent and with new coaches that will use that talent properly. I see them winning eight, possibly nine games. The 2014 off-season should bring them enough talent to make the playoffs. -- Emil Luznar, Cleveland

Hey, Emil: The Browns have every hope and expectation that Brandon Weeden will excel in the new offense with another year of experience for all of the young players around him, including Josh Gordon, Mitchell Schwartz, Trent Richardson and Travis Benjamin. The offense has a long way to go, but the sophomores have looked a lot sharper this off-season.

View full sizeCan Trent Richardson stay healthy enough to be the running threat that the Browns envisioned when they drafted him in 2012? 

Hey, Mary Kay: How much of a concern is Trent Richardson's pulled leg muscle? He had the knee and the ribs last season. Will he be ready for training camp? -- Steve C., Cleveland

Hey, Steve: Right now, Richardson's absence from OTAs and possibly the mandatory minicamp June 4-6 is more precautionary than anything. The Browns are determined to get him to the season healthy, and aren't going to take any chances. Richardson missed the preseason following a knee scope last year, and it was a huge setback for a rookie trying to learn the offense. The Browns are also being extra cautious with Jordan Cameron (groin) because they're counting on him as their starting tight end.

Hey, Mary Kay: What's the idea behind the Browns moving Jabaal Sheard to left outside linebacker in OTAs this week and Paul Kruger on the right side? -- Matt Wigginton, Lakewood

Hey, Matt: The Browns are moving the pieces around to see where they fit best. Sheard has rushed best from left end, so they're giving him a chance to show what he can do on that side as a linebacker. Kruger is also more effective on the left side, with 13 of his 15 sacks coming there last year. Kruger started 13 games for the Ravens at left outside linebacker, earning a positive ranking from nine times in those 13 games. He started six games at right OLB (including playoffs), earning a negative rating in five games.

Hey, Mary Kay: Any idea what the situation is with Brandon Jackson? Why in the world did he re-sign here when we have four backs in front of him already? Besides some minor injuries last year, was there a reason he never saw the field? He was supposed to be a quality signing a couple years ago but after his first-year injury, he never amounted to anything. -- Mike Vinciquerra, Atlanta, Ga.

Hey, Mike: Jackson got caught up in the numbers game and didn't play until the final game. The coaching staff was reluctant to give carries to anyone but Richardson, but that will change this year in an effort to keep Richardson healthy. Jackson, who can serve as a change-of-pace back and third-down specialist, will still have to prove he deserves a spot on the final roster. He joins a group that includes Richardson, Montario Hardesty, Chris Ogbonnaya and Dion Lewis.

Hey, Mary Kay: Will there really be a QB competition this year, or is Weeden the answer? -- Johnny Stevens, Valrico, Fla.

Hey, Johnny: There will definitely be more of a competition between Weeden and Jason Campbell than there was last year between Weeden and Colt McCoy. But it's Weeden's job to lose, and he'll be given every opportunity to excel. Campbell knows the offense better, so Weeden has to be a quick study.

Hey, Mary Kay: What prevents Jabaal Sheard from playing DE in the 3-4 scheme? If putting him in coverage may create a problem, why not have him at end and have either Barkevious Mingo or Paul Kruger behind him at outside linebacker. -- Joe Champion, Fort Myers, Fla.

Hey, Joe: I envision Sheard playing multiple positions in this multi-front defense, at either end or linebacker. He already knows end, so all of his reps this preseason will be at outside 'backer. But he has the versatility to surprise offenses from multiple spots and I anticipate they'll move him around.

Hey, Mary Kay: If you could choose any Browns player in the history of our franchise to return in prime form, who would it be? -- Brad Mosbarger, Norwood

Hey, Brad: Can there be any other answer to this question than the great Jim Brown, arguably the best running back of all time? I've met him dozens of time and am still in awe.

Hey, Mary Kay: Do you think the Browns have a shot at making the playoffs? I know it's a little. Just wanted an opinion. -- David McCauley, Cambridge, Ohio

Hey, David: The Browns have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball now, but still have a long way to go in terms of learning the new schemes. I think they can make some noise, but I'm not sure they're a playoff team in 2013. A lot will depend on the play of Weeden. If he lights it up in this new scheme and gets hot with a receiver or two, anything can happen.

Hey, Mary Kay: Do think the release of Eric Hagg points to the Browns signing Kerry Rhodes? Or do they believe Johnson Bademosi can transition to safety to provide depth behind Tashaun Gipson? -- Matt Douglass, Lima, Ohio

Hey, Matt: The Browns have had months to sign Kerry Rhodes and haven't done so; it's probably not in the cards. I do think they believe Bademosi can serve as a backup to Gipson. They like his size (6-0, 200) and the big hitting ability he's shown on special teams.

Hey, Mary Kay: What do you think the Browns need to do to change from a losing culture to winning one? -- Ed Modic, Painesville

Hey, Ed: The Browns need to keep adding difference makers. The more star-quality players they have, the more they'll win. They now have a good nucleus of players who should start transforming games. Big playmakers make all difference. Players such as Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo will bring much-needed big plays to the defense.

Hey, Mary Kay: Why did Pat Shurmur continue to play Trent Richardson with his injuries last season, when he had two very capable running backs who could play at full speed -- .Montario Hardesty and Brandon Jackson? -- Dennis Cleary, Boise, Idaho

Hey, Dennis: The Browns traded up to get Richardson at No. 3 and seemed determined to feature him even when he probably should've rested, such as during the opener (knee) and after he broke some ribs. Hardesty ran hard whenever he got the ball and Jackson rode the bench until the end of the season, but averaged 6.8 yards against the Steelers with a long run of 25.

Hey, Mary Kay: I just don't see how the Browns can go into the season with the defensive secondary they have on the roster now other than Joe Haden and T.J. Ward. Are they going to pick up a vet or stay with who they have? -- Thomas Ryan, Fostoria

Hey, Thomas: The Browns are pretty excited about third-round cornerback Leon McFadden and hope he can nail down a starting job opposite Haden. They also like Gipson and think sixth-round pick Jamoris Slaughter can contribute. At this point, I see no sense of urgency to add a veteran DB.

Hey, Mary Kay: Every year no matter how bad the Browns are, I find myself saying this is the year. This is really the first year the Browns have had an loaded and accomplished coaching staff and a lot of key players that in my mind are very capable. Does it just come down to Weeden or whoever wins the starting job just to play well for this team to turn the corner? -- Paul Vocca, Cottonwood, Ariz.

Hey, Paul: Weeden will be a huge factor, but they must also get great production out of some of their other top players such as Josh Gordon, Jordan Cameron and Trent Richardson. On defense, they must generate enough of a pass rush to rattle the quarterbacks they'll face, including Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.

-- Mary Kay