For way too long, the Cleveland Browns have been stuck near the bottom of the AFC North. And with Lamar Jackson in the division, it only makes sense that the Baltimore Ravens are often seen as the team to beat.
Nevertheless, the hype around the new-look Ravens has gotten out of control. They fired John Harbaugh, replaced him with a first-time head coach in Jesse Minter, and absorbed some massive departures in free agency offseason. On top of that, they haven't even sorted out Jackson's contract extension situation, and there are serious rumblings about his potential exit.
That's why Pittsburgh Steelers legend — and longtime Browns foe — Ben Roethlisberger feels their window has closed.
"I think they're falling apart. I really... I don't think they're the same team," Roethlisberger said on his podcast. "They feel like their window closed. To me, losing [John] Harbaugh... [Derrick] Henry's a year older, his body's taken a beating. You just feel like, 'What was going on with Lamar [Jackson] last year?' He just didn't seem like the Lamar that we've been used to seeing. Maybe he was injured. I think he took some shots last year that we didn't think about. So, maybe he'll have a bounce-back year and be great again."
As much as Browns fans will hate to agree with Roethlisberger, he's absolutely right.
The Browns and Ravens may not be as far apart as people think
The Ravens are, admittedly, a very good team. They're not as good as some national pundits make them seem, though. They're coming off another disappointing season, and Jackson hasn't been able to get over the hump in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Browns are trending up and are building their team the right way. They've added multiple young starters on both sides of the ball, and while there are some valid concerns about the quarterback situation, they have the draft assets to find one in 2027. Cleveland will also have plenty of financial flexibility once it finally gets Deshaun Watson's terrible contract off the books next offseason.
The AFC North has been one of the toughest divisions in football for years, but the tide is about to turn. The Steelers seem headed toward a rebuild, and the Cincinnati Bengals are perennial underachievers.
Of course, that doesn't mean the Browns will become Super Bowl contenders all of a sudden. But contrary to what the national media might say, this team has significantly closed the gap with its divisional rivals.
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