I get it. The Cleveland Browns are a horrible football team.

You don’t have to be John Madden to know that the Browns are an 1-15 team that threw six  different quarterbacks under center this season. The Browns have flaws all over the field, ranging from a largely ineffective offensive line to an atrocious secondary. And after 17 years back in the NFL with 26 different quarterbacks, Cleveland still hasn’t found the evasive, long sought-after franchise quarterback.

And yet, I still have faith in this team. You want to know why I think the future of the Browns isn’t as bleak as the fans make it out to be? Draft picks, trade possibilities and a revitalized front office, ladies and gentlemen.

Draft picks? I thought the Browns have recently parted ways with six of their past nine first round picks, the knowledgeable football fan inquires. How can a Browns fan possibly be optimistic about the upcoming draft?

Knowledgeable football fan, you bring up a good point. However, with the variety and depth of talent entering the NFL combined with the very low level of talent currently suited up in a Browns uniform, it would be very, very difficult to screw up the first two days of the draft.

Come April, the Browns will be in control of two first round picks, two second round picks, and one third round pick, among others. Any and all of these selections can become cornerstones for the Browns to build around in the future. Additionally, the variety of skill sets present in this upcoming draft can work wonders for a Browns lineup that contains as many holes as a slice of Swiss cheese. Want a Von Miller-esque pass rusher? Myles Garrett of Texas A&M  and Jonathan Allen of Alabama are ready and waiting. A boost to that weak secondary? Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers and Ohio State’s Malik Hooker have given Big Ten quarterbacks nightmares this season. How about a sense of security for the aforementioned offensive line? Centers such as Ethan Pocic of LSU and Pat Elflein of Ohio State will be available even after the first night of drafting. Considering reports that have arisen hinting at the Browns’ draft day planning show that they are prioritizing talent ahead of positioning, (not reaching for a quarterback) maybe the team is approaching this year’s draft in a more sensible manner.

Behind this sensible approach lies two Harvard graduates, one of whom was previously a baseball executive (yes, you heard me right). Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta bring to Cleveland an analytics-driven methodology in regards to scouting players that the NFL has never seen before. Straying from the traditional approach, this current Browns front office employs personnel strategies developed by the baseball executives portrayed in the 2011 drama Moneyball (including DePodesta, whose likeness was portrayed by Jonah Hill in the movie). Simply put, rather than making personnel moves that are designed to get fans excited (like drafting this guy) this new regime will add players who have proven themselves capable of contributing to the aggressive style of play that first-year coach Hue Jackson has implemented. Why use analytics to form a roster, when it’s been almost exclusively used by organizations in an entirely different sport? After all, numbers never lie.

Rather than stumbling through a questionable free-agency market, this new front office can acquire immediate contributors via trades prior to the 2017 NFL season. Considering that the Browns are expected to hold eleven selections on draft day, and that the team currently holds approximately $50 million in salary cap room (according to sports-contract database Spotrac), the door is wide open for a flurry of trades before the 2017 NFL season. Cleveland has assets that could easily be relocated combined with room to take in sizable contracts. Also, by carrying out meaningful trades, the Browns can minimize risky selections come draft day. For example, rather than gambling on inexperienced quarterbacks such as North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky, the Browns could aggressively outbid teams for a more stable choice, such as Tom Brady protegé Jimmy Garoppolo. Want to improve the other side of the ball? Cornerbacks such as Miami’s Byron Maxwell along with pass rushers like Jacksonville’s Dan Skuta are able to contribute immediately to a defense that’s given up a 104.2 average quarterback rating to opponents this season, according to ESPN.

Look, I’m not saying that the Browns are going to be postseason contenders in 2017. I don’t even know if they can muster up more than three or four wins next year. But if the team can draft the best players available (and not reach for a certain position), use data to find the best possible fits for Hue Jackson’s system, and use their many trade assets to their advantage, the Browns can point the trajectory of their rebuild to a promising height. And they owe a successful rebuild to a fanbase that’s tolerated heartbreak upon heartbreak.