The Cleveland Browns are considered the third-worst team in the NFL.
Bleacher Report believes the Cleveland Browns are the third-worst team in the NFL.
Only the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals were ranked behind the Browns.
"New head coach Todd Monken and his staff have a lot to figure out before Week 1 of the upcoming season," Moe Moton wrote. "Our analysts don't expect much from the Browns, but this team could be fun to watch with young new faces in key positions."
The Browns traded superstar Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams this offseason. Jared Verse is a good player, but he's not an all-world talent like Garrett.
As a result, Cleveland's defense will take a step back in 2026.
The Browns' offense will likely be putrid next season as well. Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson will be the starting QB and both guys are below-average QBs.
Sanders finished his rookie season with 1,400 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 169 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He went 3-4 as a starter.
Meanwhile, Watson didn't play last season. He was recovering from the Achilles tear he suffered during the 2024 season.
Since making his Browns debut, Watson has posted a 33.1 Total QBR, the lowest among qualified passers. The odds of the former Houston Texans star turning back the clock after an Achilles tear are pretty low, which is why many NFL pundits believe Cleveland should start Shedeur so the team can fully evaluate him for an entire season.
According to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Sanders has made up ground in the QB1 battle with Watson. This may go down to the wire.
"This is a true, heated battle and this one's only going to heat up in training camp. As was told to me, Deshaun Watson went into the spring as the clear favorite and then Shedeur Sanders has bridged the gap at least somewhat," Fowler said on Thursday's episode of NFL Live. "I still believe Watson's in a good position. I'm told he was moving like a major athlete again coming off those Achilles tears. He's moving well, he's fluid, looks like the athlete of old to most extents.
"But Sanders was decisive. I was told he's got a presence about him that the coaching staff noticed that they might have underestimated a little bit. So I expect this to go into preseason games. You're gonna see multiple weeks of this."
The Browns open the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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