Despite trading their best player earlier this month and having yet another quarterback competition, there is a lot of optimism around the Cleveland Browns. After all, Myles Garrett had an NFL-record 23 sacks last season, but the Browns still won just five games and had to cycle through many more starting quarterbacks, so how much worse could things realistically get?
Hopefully, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders can provide a lot of clarity to the QB room and put an end to this ruthless revolving door at the position that never seems to stop spinning. If at least one of them can do a solid job, local media legend Bruce Drennan believes this year could be better than many expect.
During a recent episode of Bonus Time, Drennan doubled down on his season win total prediction from before the team traded Myles Garrett. He still thinks 7-10 wins are on the table and potentially an AFC North crown as well.
“You’ve heard me say since the schedule was released that if we get any kind of quarterbacking, there’s winnable games on this schedule. We play the NFC South. That’s a notoriously weak division. I can see 7-10 wins. That might be good enough to win this division because it’s so balanced,” said Drennan.
Cleveland Browns… AFC North champs? #DawgPound
"I can see 7-10 wins. That might be good enough to win this division because it's so balanced."
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— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) June 11, 2026
Not to throw a wet blanket on the open flame, but this is what fans of every team does during the quiet part of the NFL calendar. As soon as the schedule releases, all of us start poking through the slate and no matter how bad the roster looks, somehow we all find a way to talk ourselves into 7-10 wins and a potential fringe playoff berth.
However, Drennan is right about the schedule. You can never accurately project how good any of these teams will be this far in advance, but all the teams on Cleveland’s schedule won a combined one playoff game last season. The Browns also don’t have a road game between November 8th and December 20th. They also don’t have an international game and don’t have to travel west of New Orleans for any game.
It’s about as easy of a travel schedule a team could ask for, so this should be a well-rested group that doesn’t fade due to fatigue or jet lag down the stretch. All three divisional foes should be better after disappointing 2025 seasons, but if the Browns can fight their way to 3-3 in the AFC North, perhaps Drennan’s prediction isn’t so outlandish.
NEXT: Analyst Names 3 Biggest Winners Of Browns' Offseason
