Most of the expectations for the Cleveland Browns entering the 2026 season revolve around how high a pick they might get in the 2027 NFL Draft. With one of the lowest projected win totals in the league, they are much more likely to get the No. 1 overall selection than to make the playoffs.
However, if everything breaks just right, and the Browns can get over that very low bar, there is a chance that their division can be there for the taking. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers have to replace legendary head coaches, and the Cincinnati Bengals have found a way to disappoint in the past two seasons.
With that in mind, analyst Bruce Drennan revealed the Browns’ path to winning the AFC North, which may not be as difficult as it used to be.
“I could feasibly see 9-8 winning this division, or at best 10-7. I’ll be surprised if a team will post a better mark than that. With that being said, the Browns just need decent quarterbacking. That’s a big if, with us especially. But if they get decent quarterbacking, there’s some winnable games,” Drennan said.
"I could feasibly see 9-8 winning this division, or at best 10-7. I'll be surprised if a team will post a better mark than that." #DawgPound
– @Bruce_Drennan https://t.co/anxKdyvaBw pic.twitter.com/ad1jWjyfzy
— BIGPLAY Cleveland (@BIGPLAYcle) August 13, 2026
Since 2016, the AFC North winner has had at least 11 victories seven times, and a team has never won the division with nine wins or fewer. Pittsburgh won it last year at 10-7, which turned out to be the last of Mike Tomlin’s 19 seasons as Steelers head coach.
Baltimore won it the previous two years, with John Harbaugh as head coach and Todd Monken as his offensive coordinator. After 18 seasons with the Ravens, Harbaugh is now head coach of the New York Giants, and Monken is in charge of the Browns as one of the oldest first-timers in NFL history.
Despite having one of the easiest schedules in the NFL, based on their opponents’ winning percentage from last season and their projected win totals for this year, the Browns are one of the largest betting underdogs to win their division this season. Yet, they are among the favorites to earn the top pick in the 2027 draft.
That is because there is very little optimism about Cleveland’s quarterback situation, which is seen as among the worst in the league. Neither Deshaun Watson nor Shedeur Sanders inspires much confidence that they can lead a team to the postseason.
But if one of them can provide somewhat competent play, the Browns do have the defense and skill-position players to surprise the naysayers.
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