The AFC North is in the middle of a shake-up, and the Cleveland Browns are trying to take advantage of it.
For years, Cleveland has been stuck at the bottom of the division, finishing last 16 times since the realignment in 2002. But this season carries a different feel.
Three of the four teams are opening the year with new coaches, longtime voices are gone, and the usual order in the division no longer looks quite as settled. That matters for the Browns, because every new season brings another shot at something they have not done since 1989: win the division.
The Bengals may be the most urgent team in the group. Cincinnati has not reached the playoffs since the 2022 season, and head coach Zac Taylor is the only one in the division who kept his job.
Joe Burrow has made it clear he is tired of sitting out in January. "I just want to win this year.
I just want to win,” Burrow said on a podcast. "[we brought in the right people] to go and chase this goal of winning a Super Bowl and winning as many games as we can.” He has plenty around him to back up that confidence, but the pressure is obvious.
Cincinnati also went into the offseason knowing its defense had been a weak point, and if that side of the ball becomes even halfway reliable, the Bengals have the schedule to pile up wins.
Baltimore still has the kind of top-end talent that keeps it in the conversation every year. Lamar Jackson remains a perennial MVP-level quarterback, and Derrick Henry gives the Ravens a backfield piece who can still tilt games.
But the roster is aging, the depth is thinner than it has been, and Todd Monken has moved within the division, leaving Baltimore with a new voice calling plays. The Ravens have enough star power to stay dangerous, but they will be asking a lot from veterans and from a first-time head coach.
Pittsburgh is in its own transition. Mike Tomlin, who never finished under .500 as Steelers head coach, is out, and Mike McCarthey is in.
Aaron Rogers will drive the offense, and the concern is simple: if age starts to catch him, the whole unit could bog down. The line is not strong, Rogers cannot move the way he once did, and this roster is aging too.
The Steelers did add Michael Pittman Jr. to help the receiver group, and DK Metcalf remains a threat, but the bigger question is how quickly the team can adjust to a new defensive philosophy. Tomlin brought toughness on that side of the ball, and a shift in culture may not be painless.
That leaves Cleveland, which is still behind the rest of the division in terms of being ready to win right now. The Browns have young talent, but the roster is packed with first- and second-year players, and this season is going to be about learning how to win at the NFL level.
Todd Monken is a first-time head coach and will also handle play-calling duties, while the defensive side of the ball is dealing with a first-time coordinator as well. There will be growing pains.
There will be bumps and bruises. Still, the schedule points to one more win than last year.
So the Browns may spend much of the season watching Cincinnati, Baltimore and Pittsburgh battle through their own issues. The Bengals have playoff frustration to answer.
The Ravens are trying to keep an aging core in place. The Steelers are starting over in key spots.
Cleveland’s path may not lead out of the basement just yet, but the division is changing around it, and the Browns’ timeline is starting to match up with a future where they can finally climb.
In Other News...
Browns Final Roster Left Fans Stuck On One Surprising Decision
The Browns final 53-man roster brought the usual late-August churn, but a few decisions landed harder than most. Cleveland waived several players and placed one on injured reserve as it trimmed to the regular-season limit, yet the move that seemed to catch fans off guard most was the decision to part with wide receiver Luke Floriea. The roster math also included the cut of offensive lineman KT Leveston, while quarterback Taylen Green made the team as a developmental option with speed that could fit into specific packages.
Among the biggest talking points, Dillon Gabriel beginning the season on injured reserve stood out right alongside Florieas departure in a fan poll of the days surprises. For a team trying to balance immediate depth with long-term upside, the choices underscored how little margin there is at the back end of the roster, where one players special skill set can tip the scales and anothers promise can disappear in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Suddenly Face A QB Depth Question With Dillon Gabriel Sidelined
Dillon Gabriels rookie season has hit a snag before it could really start, and the Browns are now looking at their quarterback room a little differently than they were a few weeks ago. Gabriel, who had flashed in the preseason finale by leading Cleveland to a win and throwing three touchdowns, was placed on injured reserve with a back injury and is expected to miss at least the first four games of the season.
The move leaves Cleveland to open the year with Deshaun Watson under center in Week 1, but it also sharpens the focus on what comes after that while Gabriel recovers. For a team that was already trying to sort out its long-term quarterback picture, the early loss of a rookie who had just helped finish the preseason on a high note adds another layer of uncertainty to the start of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Rookie Is Suddenly Pushing For A Role Fans Didn't Expect
The Browns used a late-round pick on Carsen Ryan in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the rookie tight end has already made himself hard to ignore in a crowded room. Cleveland took two tight ends late, but Ryan has drawn attention for the kind of versatile, physical play that coaches tend to trust, especially when roster spots are thin and competition is more about fit than pedigree.
Todd Monken has pointed to Ryans willingness to lean into the dirty work, including a blocking role, and has even left open the possibility of using him as a fullback. The wrinkle for Cleveland is that Michael Burton is still on the roster despite injury concerns, which leaves the Browns with an interesting personnel puzzle as they sort out how to maximize a rookie who may wind up doing more than most expected. [Read more 🡒]