Ranking The Cleveland Browns' Top 5 Challengers In The AFC

If the Browns hope to make it to the Super Bowl, they will have to overcome these teams.

Sep 12, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass as Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) defends at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns are obviously playoff contenders heading into 2024. After all, they did just win 11 games and make the postseason last year, and they did that in spite of employing five different starting quarterbacks throughout the campaign.

But are the Browns legitimate Super Bowl contenders going into September?

Cleveland's status among the NFL's elite highly depends on the performance of Deshaun Watson, who is returning from shoulder surgery and is hoping to play his first full season in a Browns uniform.

For the sake of argument, let's assume that all goes well with Watson and he actually resembles his old form from his Houston Texans days. Suddenly, the Browns look pretty good in the grand scheme of things and actually could make a deep playoff run next winter.

But who will Cleveland have to overcome to finally reach the Super Bowl?

Here are the Browns' top five challengers in the AFC (plus one):

Honorable Mention: Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins got off to a 9-3 start last season thanks to their explosive offense, but they lost three of their last five games to lose their hold on the AFC East. They then fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.

How seriously do I take the Dolphins this year? Well, if they are able to get a home playoff game, they should be pretty tough. But if they have to play in a cooler climate in January? They could be in some trouble.

Plus, Miami lost a lot of key defensive pieces—including defensive tackle Christian Wilkins—this offseason and scrounged around for old, past-their-prime veterans to fill the gaps.

So, why are the Dolphins on this list then? Because Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle comprise one of the NFL's most lethal receiving tandems, and Odell Beckham Jr. is a pretty solid No. 3. The backfield duo of Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane is also impressive, and for all of the flak he has taken, Tua Tagovailoa is a more than serviceable quarterback.

On top of that, Miami is playing in a division that features the lowly New England Patriots and a Buffalo Bills squad that witnessed a mass exodus of players from their organization this offseason.

5. New York Jets

The Jets are actually somewhat similar to the Browns. Their roster is teeming with talent, but their fate ultimately depends on the health of their quarterback. In the case of New York, it's Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers missed all but one offensive series last year with a torn Achilles, but he is returning with a vengeance in 2024 and has a very nice stable of weapons at his disposal. The Jets added Mike Williams and rookie Malachi Corley to a receiving corps that already included Garrett Wilson, and they also beefed up their offensive line.

Additionally, Gang Green swung a trade to acquire star pass rusher Haason Reddick, which will make the team's already stingy defense even better.

The Jets managed to win seven games in 2023 with Zach Wilson and Trevor Siemian under center. If Rodgers is anything close to what he was with the Green Bay Packers, that's automatically a massive upgrade, and it should add at least a couple of wins to New York's record.

Like the Browns, the Jets could be an 11 or 12-win ballclub, or they could fall flat and finish below .500. But there is no denying the talent here.

4. Houston Texans

The Texans shocked the world last season, winning 10 games and capturing the AFC South division crown when everyone expected them to finish in the cellar.

C.J. Stroud had a historically great rookie campaign, and wide receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell emerged as deadly weapons.

Houston was also pretty busy this offseason, acquiring Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon in separate trades while also signing top-flight edge rusher Danielle Hunter in free agency.

It remains to be seen how Diggs fits into the Texans' offense. He racked up over 100 receptions in each of his four seasons with the Bills, so it will be intriguing to see how he handles a sure dip in targets playing alongside of Collins, Dell and numerous other pass-catchers.

If Diggs is a good soldier and fully accepts what wlll almost certainly be a lesser role in Houston, the Texans could be exceedingly dangerous. If not, problems can ensue.

Houston actually reminds me a whole lot of the 2019 Browns. Sky-high expectations with a second-year quarterback and a volatile receiver on the roster.

We also have to see if Stroud falls victim to the sophomore slump.

On paper, the Texans are absolutely loaded, but whether or not it actually translates into on-field success remains to be seen.

3. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are coming off of a nightmarish 2023 campaign in which they were absolutely devastasted by injuries. The most debilitating one of all was Joe Burrow, who began the season hampered with a calf issue and then bowed out with a wrist injury in Week 11.

Even still, Cincinnati managed to win nine games, which is a testament to just how talented this team really is.

Remember: the Bengals are just three seasons removed from a Super Bowl appearance, so there is legitimate experience here, and most of the core pieces are still in place.

But there are reasons for concern.

First of all, Cincinnati's defense was awful in 2023 (ranked 31st in the NFL), and while the Bengals added Sheldon Rankins and a couple of decent safeties this offseason, the defense still appears to be a considerable issue.

Then there is the dilemma with wide receiver Tee Higgins, who appears to be preparing to play out the 2024 campaign on a one-year deal. Higgins held out for a while this offseason before finally signing his franchise tender, which means he should be in training camp next month. But will his head be in it?

Plus, the Bengals lost No. 3 receiver Tyler Boyd in free agency, leaving a rather big hole behind Ja'Marr Chase and Higgins at the position.

Then, of course, there are the health worries surrounding Burrow, who still doesn't seem to be 100 percent healed from wrist surgery and has a rather worrisome injury history in general.

If all breaks right, the Bengals could be terrific, but in the rugged AFC North, a lot can go wrong for them, too.

2. Baltimore Ravens

I actually think the Bengals have a higher ceiling than the Ravens, because they have already proven they can make a deep playoff run.

Baltimore has yet to do that.

However, Lamar Jackson is the reigning MVP, and the Ravens just added Derrick Henry in free agency. I, for one, would have preferred Baltimore to spend that capital on another wide receiver rather than signing an aging, declining running back, but it is what it is.

It should also be interesting to see how the Ravens' defense responds after losing a couple of critical pieces in Patrick Queen and Jadeveon Clowney. Baltimore is generally always a great defensive squad, so the Ravens will probably land on their feet, but those are still two notable losses.

Baltimore had the best record in the NFL at 13-4 last season, and one of those losses came at the hands of Watson and the Browns...in Baltimore, no less. That was when Watson led Cleveland in that thrilling second-half comeback before ultimately being lost for the year due to the shoulder injury.

Anyway, simply by way of the fact that the Ravens had the No. 1 mark in the league and made it to the AFC Championship Game last winter, they deserve this ranking.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Does anything really need to be said here? They are the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.