Many in Cleveland believe their favorite NFL team needs to get its due as the league prepares for the new campaign.
After all, the Browns qualified for the AFC playoffs despite having to turn to five different starting quarterbacks in 2023 after the season-ending shoulder injury to Deshaun Watson.
The 11-win season was quite the accomplishment, and the injury-riddled offense was carried mightily by the number-one-ranked defensive unit in the NFL.
So, is Cleveland falling through the cracks as prognostications for the new season roll in?
Gordon McGuinness rated the five most overlooked franchises headed into the fall season and listed the Browns at No. 1, per PFF.
Who is the most overlooked team going into this season? pic.twitter.com/TtOkds0lV5
— PFF (@PFF) June 14, 2024
Rounding out those who are perhaps not getting the recognition they deserve are Miami, the Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle, and Tennessee.
There are likely some who believe the Browns experienced a certain level of luck last season.
This year, miracle finishes may not be needed if Deshaun Watson returns to the form he displayed during his Houston heyday.
The quarterback enters year three with the Browns carrying high expectations after losing much of his first season in Cleveland to a league suspension and last year to injury.
But if the defense turns in a repeat performance and Watson recaptures the magic he often displayed with the Texans, McGuinness may be correct.
With that combination a distinct possibility, this is a team that could make considerable noise in 2024 and return to the postseason.
