All of you that just read that title must have been thinking, "This guy is insane, the Browns didn't win a game in 2017, now they're gonna win it all?" While Super Bowl Champs may be a bit of a stretch for the Browns, they are in a position where they can win the AFC North for years to come.
Yesterday, Cleveland signed Kareem Hunt, the troubled Chiefs running back who had been cut from the team for kicking a woman in a hotel. The Browns decided to give the second-year-back to give him a second chance. The transaction puts the Browns in a great spot. The futures of their franchise, Baker Mayfield, Hunt, and Nick Chubb are all under 25 with loads and loads of potential. Led by Freddie Kitchens, the Browns offense is going to be extremely dangerous.
The Browns might have an even better defense than they do offense. Their acquisition of Steve Wilks to be their defense coordinator was extremely smart, as he was not fit for a head coaching job(see: #1 overall pick). They have former #1 overall pick Myles Garett, who already has made a Pro Bowl, along with Denzel Ward, who has potential to become one of the premier corners in the league.
Before the season, the Browns were viewed as possible playoff contenders. Now, if Hunt comes back without any suspension from the NFL(which is unlikely), Cleveland is in extremely good shape. They actually might be able to win the AFC North. Pittsburgh is in a bad spot, with Antonio Brown requesting a trade and Le'veon Bell set to leave in free agency. The Ravens are a young team that is extremely volatile, performing well one week and terribly the next. The Bengals are completely irrelevant unless Sean McVay clone Zac Taylor can get Andy Dalton going.
As you can see, the path to Cleveland's success is not that hard. Even if they make the playoffs with their rejuvenated offense, it will be considered a huge win. A few years down the road, the AFC could run through Cleveland and Kansas City. Perhaps Baker Mayfield vs. Patrick Mahomes will become the Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning rivalry of this generation. All in all, while it seems absurd that the Browns, arguably the most depressing franchise the NFL has seen, as title contenders, they are set up for greatness this decade.
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