Ranking the opposing QBs on the Cleveland Browns 2023 schedule

QB No. 8: Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans

The term ‘system quarterback’ gets a bad rap. True, the term is generally reserved for quarterbacks who don't fall in the elite category, but the reality is that there are only a handful of truly elite quarterbacks at any given time in the NFL. If you don't have one of the elite QBs, you could do a lot worse than having Ryan Tannehill as your signal-caller.

Tannehill is coming off of a rough year in 2022, due to a combination of an ankle injury and a lack of weapons in the passing game. But Tannehill is only one year removed from leading the Titans to a 12-5 record and the top seed in the AFC in 2021. Since Tannehill arrived in Tennessee in 2019, he has gone 36-19 as the starter.

While the Titans did not revamp their wide receiver room, they did sign veteran free agent DeAndre Hopkins. If Derrick Henry is still Derrick Henry and the offensive line can hold up, expect the ‘system quarterback’ to do just fine in 2023.

QB No. 7: Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

Who had Geno Smith being a top-10 quarterback going into the 2022 season on their bingo card? Me either. But that is exactly what Smith was in his first season as a starting quarterback since 2014.

Smith’s career is an anomaly. Drafted in the second round in 2013, Smith started 29 games over the course of his first two seasons. Then Smith served as a backup for the next six seasons, starting a grand total of five games. However, he backed up Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, and Russell Wilson over that span.

Something must have clicked, because Smith looked ready for his opportunity to be the full-time starter again in 2022. Smith led the Seahawks to a 9-8 record and led the NFL in completion percentage (69.8).

While it would be natural for Smith to see some natural regression in 2023, given the weapons he has at his disposal do not expect him to turn back into a pumpkin either.