Notable Outlet Believes Browns Have A Top 5 Roster In 2024

The Browns retained much of a 2023 roster that made a playoff appearance for this upcoming season.

Dec 28, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Juan Thornhill (1) hold a sign referencing the NFL playoffs after defeating the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

With great success comes great expectations. That's why after making the playoffs in 2023 the Browns are expected to not only get back to the postseason in 2024, but make an even deeper run.

With much of the roster still intact from last season, the franchise is banking on continuity helping lead them back to the playoffs. Ultimately, much of their success this fall will depend on the health and effectiveness of star QB Deshaun Watson, who is considered ahead of schedule in his rehab from shoulder surgery.

Watson is certainly set up for success though with the roster around him. It's a group that is garnering plenty of attention nationally.

In fact, in a recent ranking released by Ian Valentino of The 33rd Team, the Browns roster wound up ranked No. 3 overall compared to the rest of the NFL. As Valentino surmised:

This might be surprising because the defending Super Bowl champions aren't even the top AFC team, but the Cleveland Browns are an above-average quarterback away from fighting for a No. 1 seed.

They might get there in 2024 if the arc of Deshaun Watson's 2023 performance was a sign of things to come and he's healthy. A roster filled with high-end talent and depth across all positions is a big reason why.

Cleveland's biggest areas of concern are its No. 2 receiver role and the health of star RB Nick Chubb. The Browns' running game died as soon as Chubb suffered his brutal knee injury against Pittsburgh in Week 2, but getting Chubb at 80 perfect for the back half of the 2024 season would strike fear into opponents come January.

Valentino went on to highlight the addition of Jerry Jeudy to the wide receiver room and David Njoku's breakout 2023 season as further reasons to like the Browns offense. He also mentioned improvements made to a defense that was already No. 1 in football in total yards allowed last year as another reason he believes Cleveland has a top three roster in football this year.

The two teams he ranked ahead of the Browns were the Philadelphia Eagles and San Franchisco 49ers. Meanwhile, the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs came in one spot behind the Browns at No. 4. One other AFC North team found itself in the top 10 as the Baltimore Ravens were ranked No. 8 on Valentino's list.

Top to bottom these are the best rosters in the NFL 📈

h/t @NFLDraftStudy pic.twitter.com/JiYvhthjbH

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) June 17, 2024

Did he get it right putting the Browns third overall in terms of the most talented rosters in the NFL this season?

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