Ranking the 4 toughest non-divisional quarterbacks Browns face in 2024
By Randy Gurzi
Over the past couple of seasons, the NFL has released their schedule on the second Thursday in May. That won't be the case in 2024 as the tentative release date is now Wednesday, May 15. That means the Cleveland Browns — and the rest of the league — have another week before they know what their next few months will look like.
While we don't know exactly when they will face off with every team on the schedule, we know who those opponents will be. We also know the Browns have the toughest strength of schedule to contend with, meaning this could be a long year for them.
A primary reason their schedule is daunting happens to be the three divisional opponents who all had winning records in 2023. Those rivals include the Baltimore Ravens who are led by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and the Cincinnati Bengals, who have a former No. 1 overall pick under center in Joe Burrow. The worst starter on a rival entering the year is Russell Wilson, a former Super Bowl-winner, who takes over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Outside of the division, there are more dangerous signal callers to contend with this year as well. Let's check out the top four outside of the AFC North.
4. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
It appeared for a few weeks that this would be the first team Cleveland would see in 2024. The Browns were rumored to be facing the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo, Brazil — and Maurice Hurst seemed to confirm as much. In the end, the Green Bay Packers landed this showdown but the Browns will still have to contend with Philly at some point.
Cleveland will have to travel to Philadelphia, which is a tough place to play. It won't be easy to handle with the crowd or their defense but the toughest task will be containing Jalen Hurts.
A former second-round pick, Hurts has led his team to a 34-17 record while throwing for 67 touchdowns against 34 picks. He's added another 41 touchdowns on the ground and has had at least 10 rushing touchdowns in each of the past three seasons. He might not be the most prolific passer but he's fearless and can tear a team apart with his legs if they lose containment.