2018 NFL Power Rankings: Week 1 has finally arrived
By Dan Parzych
29. Cleveland Browns (30)
Don’t look now, but the Cleveland Browns appear to be finally moving in the right direction, and could end up being one of the surprise teams to keep an eye on in the AFC if all goes according to plan. Then again, when looking at how the team has a disappointing 1-31 record over the last two seasons under Hue Jackson, all the Browns need to do is win two games in 2018, and it will already be viewed as major progress, as sad as that sounds.
For years, Cleveland has desperately been trying to find a reliable quarterback to build the franchise around, and while Baker Mayfield showed plenty of progress throughout the preseason, it looks like Tyrod Taylor will be the go-to guy for at least 2018 season. Even after using the No. 1 pick on the Oklahoma standout back in April, Jackson seemed pretty determined from the start that Taylor would at least be the short-term answer when looking at his skills as an effective in-game manager.
Plus, when compared to other years, Cleveland is actually loaded with great talent on both sides of the football, which is why the hype is real. So if the Browns play well like they did in preseason, moving up on this list in the coming weeks shouldn’t be an issue.