AFC North Quarterback Power Rankings: Deshaun Watson gives Browns a fighting chance
By Greg Newland
While the Cleveland Browns will certainly be adjusting their roster between now and September, it’s safe to say that the foundation is set for the 2023 season, especially since they won’t have a pick in the first or second round of this year’s draft.
Browns fans got a glimpse of Deshaun Watson in 2022, but I really don’t think that is the version we will see in 2023. Remember, the Browns were all but out of the playoffs and he hadn’t played in over a year and a half. They may say it’s like riding a bike, but being an NFL quarterback is not an easy job.
Not only is the roster tailored to Watson, but Andrew Berry also made some improvements on defense that should take some pressure off Kevin Stefanski and the offense. Let’s dive deeper into the AFC North and rank the four quarterbacks.
AFC North Quarterback power ranking No. 4 – Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers
After two decades of Ben Roethlisberger, it’s nice to see the Steelers No. 4 on this list with their second-year starter Kenny Pickett. And as much as I’d love Pittsburgh to finish in the basement of the division, Pickett showed some signs of being a legitimate NFL quarterback at the end of last season.
Pickett started in 12 games as a rookie going 7-5 with a 63 percent completion rate and seven touchdowns along with nine interceptions. Turnovers were a huge issue early in the season, but he did settle in nicely.
The Steelers will always be competitive with Mike Tomlin as their head coach, but I still think this organization is on the decline. They couldn’t add any big-name free agents, and Pickett won’t have the firepower to pick this team up in 2023.