The national media spent all weekend raving about the Cleveland Browns draft class. Now one outlet is turning around and ranking them 29th in the entire NFL.
Bleacher Report released their post-draft power rankings and slotted Cleveland at No. 29 out of 32 teams, and writer Kristopher Knox laid out his reasoning.
“For the Cleveland Browns, everything hinges on the QB competition between Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel yielding a functional starter. The Browns have a quality defense, led by new NFL sack king Myles Garrett, and they did a terrific job of addressing offensive needs in the offseason. Cleveland completely rebuilt an offensive line that was a massive liability in 2025. The team also boosted a lackluster receiving corps by adding KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. If the new pieces gel quickly, the Browns should have a fairly complete roster, aside from the quarterback position, which will make or break the upcoming season,” Knox wrote.
The same article that acknowledges Myles Garrett as the NFL sack king, praises the Browns for completely rebuilding their offensive line, and credits Cleveland for boosting their receiver room with two first-round caliber talents, still ranks them 29th in the league. That is a stunning level of disrespect for a roster that just received an A-plus draft grade from many top analysts.
The quarterback question is a valid concern. Watson and Sanders will compete for the starting job, creating genuine uncertainty. That is a fair point. But the framing here feels like it is ignoring everything else the Browns have done to put the quarterback in a position to succeed.
Carson Schwesinger is coming off a Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign at linebacker. A completely rebuilt offensive line headlined by Fano, Jenkins, and Johnson. KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston are joining Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond, and Harold Fannin Jr. in one of the most talented skill position groups this franchise has assembled in years. Quinshon Judkins is also in the backfield.
That is not a 29th-ranked roster. That is likely a roster that is one competent quarterback away from being genuinely dangerous in the AFC.
Browns fans have heard this kind of talk before. The best response has always been the same one. Go win games and let the rankings sort themselves out.
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