Pundits widely view the AFC North as one of the toughest divisions in football for the 2023 season, yet, perhaps outside of the Cincinnati Bengals, few seem to be quite sure of just what the other three teams in the division are going to do. The Baltimore Ravens get some first-place votes, but otherwise all three could range anywhere from second to fourth in the division.
The Ravens’ future, of course, largely rides on how the new Todd Monken offense gels with Lamar Jackson—and Jackson’s health. They are perennial contenders when he’s on the field. The Steelers always have their scattered champions, but, again, it rides on second-year QB Kenny Pickett and the development of the offensive line.
Yet the Browns may be the most interesting team in the division, largely because theirs is the quarterback whom we have seen the least. After a blockbuster trade, Deshaun Watson was only on the field for six games last season due to suspension. That’s why The Athletic’s Mike Jones named them one of the most overlooked teams heading into 2023, writing:
The Browns didn’t get the performance they wanted from Deshaun Watson in his first season as Browns quarterback. Watson, who was signed to a $230 million guaranteed deal, went 3-3 as a starter and looked like a shell of himself. He hadn’t played in 700 days, so rust should have been expected. But now that he has re-acclimated himself to the game, the Browns appear to have a good chance to improve on last season’s 7-10 record. Watson should display improved effectiveness and chemistry with his wide receivers. And the offseason additions of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith should translate into improvement on that side of the ball as well. If all goes according to plan and everyone performs up to their potential, Cleveland could challenge for the AFC North crown.
Now, I don’t think that’s exactly an outlandish stance to take. To start with, it’s not like RB Nick Chubb or DE Myles Garrett have gone anywhere. They are still two of the very best players in the game at their respective positions, and there are no indications they won’t continue to be dominant this year.
Watson was at the very least a top-15 quarterback during his time with the Houston Texans, likely top 10 for most of it. Did he look the part last year? No. But having an uninterrupted season, plus building chemistry with the likes of Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore, should go a long way toward getting him back to the level of a quarterback capable of carrying a team—on a roster that arguably doesn’t need carrying, just proper custodianship.
Every team in the division last year split with every other team, going 3-3 overall and 1-1 against each of their division rivals. You don’t get parity more widespread than that. Of course, the odds of that happening two years in a row are rather low.
Who can claim the best record within the division? That may go a very long way in determining who ends up on top. And if the Browns can muster up a passing game that complements their top-five rushing attack, then they’ll have arguably as good a shot as any.
