When it comes to offseasons for the Cleveland Browns, this has been the best in quite a while.

There’s been more team building, more focus on direction and far less off-the-field nonsense. Sum it up this way: There’s been less drama, which is always a very good thing when it comes to a professional team.

For the Browns though, positives remain relative. The team is coming off the worst season in its history and spent an offseason talking feel-goods about a one-win team. It would be tough to go any direction but up after a season when their first win came in December.

But there are concrete ways the Browns have grown this offseason. Heading into training camp, here are five steps they have taken to move forward.

Less drama. New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams put it this way: “I have walked into a lot more dysfunctional buildings than this.” Which is an interesting way to explain things coming together. It’s easy to point the finger at any one player when referring to off-field drama, but the Browns’ was so pervasive and constant the last few years that it was bigger than one player. Consider that a year ago the new coaching staff had cast its lot with a quarterback (Robert Griffin III) who had been cut by the team that drafted him. The Browns traded down in the draft when they could have taken a quarterback. This season occurrences are more within “normal” team parameters. Players learning a position. New guys competing for a spot. Discussion about depth charts. Of course, there are questions to be answered and needs to be filled, but they’re the same ones that all organizations must answer. For whatever reason, the Browns seems to have a firmer grip on their direction, which is a strong positive for a team that has had such tumult over the years.

Some direction at quarterback. The most important position on the team is not solved. Far from it. However, the team seems to have given itself a chance. Cody Kessler at least knows the offense. Brock Osweiler has been a pleasant surprise in terms of attitude and approach, and he has a chance to revive his career. When DeShone Kizer does things right, he shows he has NFL talent and arm strength. When minicamp ended, the Browns were clear that Kizer was not ready to start a game. Whether he is by the season opener remains to be seen. In a best-case scenario, the Browns do not force Kizer and he grows into the job. At worst, he doesn’t work out and the team goes with Kessler or Osweiler and takes its shot again in a year. But Kizer at least offers the chance of being the long-term solution, which is a positive considering where the Browns have been with the position the last few years.

Better overall talent, especially on defense. There are needs, but the talent level is better. The draft added three defensive linemen. Emmanuel Ogbah looks like a player. Jamie Collins and Chris Kirksey are more than solid linebackers. The offensive line has more depth. Needs remain, but overall there is a feeling the talent level is better than it was a year ago.

The draft wasn’t overthought and was logical. The Browns did a lot right in the draft. Myles Garrett was the solid first pick, and he was the choice (though the team has to be holding its breath over his foot injury). Williams loves Jabrill Peppers. David Njoku screams potential at tight end. There’s the two defensive linemen, including what turned out to be a risk worth taking in Caleb Brantley. Given the past years of drafting, a solid, well-conceived draft should be cause for celebration with this team.

The vision becomes clearer. Added talent may not take the Browns past the six-win threshold this season -- and probably won’t -- but adding five wins to one is a step forward. A year ago, several factors obscured the vision of the way the Browns were building a team. Among those factors: the brouhaha over the Browns losing four starters on the first day of free agency, trading out of taking Carson Wentz and winning just one game. Progress can’t be measured when fans are dragging themselves to games. Hue Jackson, though, emphasized it would all be worth it if the process led to playoff appearances. The Browns now have a roster with 56 players who are age 24 or younger. Kirksey and RB Isaiah Crowell are 24. DL Danny Shelton and Ogbah are 23. WR Corey Coleman and Brantley are 22. Garrett and Kizer are 21. And Njoku is only 20. Then there is the 2018 draft, in which the Browns have five picks in the first two rounds. The Browns' vision has gained clarity since January: Retain key veterans, focus on the draft and build with young players in a culture generated by Jackson.