NFL power rankings: Patriots, Packers among Super Bowl favorites
30
Cleveland Browns 0-0
Last week: W, 25-0 at CHI
Last rank: 30th
It is fashionable to mock the Browns whenever possible, but we might finally be seeing a ray of hope for the moribund franchise. Cleveland had a terrific offseason, landing a pair of quality offensive lineman in JC Tretter and Kevin Zeitler to play alongside Joe Thomas and Joel Bitonio. The Browns also added athleticism in the draft with Myles Garrett, Jabrill Peppers and David Njoku in the first round, followed by DeShone Kizer in the second.
Kizer is the key to Cleveland’s future, even if Brock Osweiler starts the season on the first team. Osweiler isn’t the future, with the Browns using him as a placeholder for Kizer’s eventual ascension into the position. Kizer looked good in August, giving reason to believe he might provide stability at quarterback in Cleveland for the first time since Bernie Kosar.
The Browns are still a bad team, and winning three or four games would be a huge step forward for a group that narrowly missed going 0-16 a year ago. If Kizer plays well toward the end of the season and the trio of first-round selections look good, Cleveland should consider the campaign a resounding success.