AFC North quarterback depth ranked from worst to best in 2023

2. Cleveland Browns

Deshaun Watson, Josh Dobbs, Dorian Thompson-Robinson

If there were any arguments with this ranking from those outside of the Dawg Pound, it would be here. Deshaun Watson is already not getting any love (due to self-inflicted reasons) but their backups are being overlooked as well.

Josh Dobbs is set as the No. 2 quarterback after signing a fully guaranteed $2 million contract (how will the billionaires feed their families if they have to give out fully guaranteed deals). Cleveland fans know him well since he spent the first 12 weeks of the 2022 season as the No. 2 behind Jacoby Brissett.

He never played in the regular season for the Browns but was a star in the preseason. He also landed with the Tennessee Titans late in the year (after Cleveland released him to make room for Watson) and made two starts.

Dobbs threw for 411 yards with two touchdowns and two picks, which is impressive considering he was hardly there long enough to learn the playbook.

As good as he is, there's an even more exciting rookie behind him in Dorian Thompson-Robinson who should edge out Kellen Mond. DTR is a dual-threat who gives the Browns three options they can believe in and that edges out the backups in Baltimore — even if only slightly.

With all that being said, the real reason Cleveland is second in the AFC North is Deshaun Watson. For those who think the rusty player we saw in six games last season is what we will see going forward, there will be a lot of heartache.

Watson was one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL before his off-field issues and while Lamar Jackson has durability concerns while also trending in the wrong direction, Watson is having the best offseason of his career. He's also a better pure quarterback than Jackson — and it's not close.

Jackson relies on his athleticism to succeed whereas Watson can sit in the pocket and pick apart a defense. He's a student of the game and his football IQ is grossly underrated. His presence pushes the Browns close to the top, but their in-state rivals still hold the crown.