Getty Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett
The Cleveland Browns have a loaded roster this season, adding established names like Odell Beckham Jr., Olivier Vernon and Kareem Hunt to a squad that was already on the rise with young stars like Nick Chubb, Baker Mayfield and Myles Garrett.
With that amount of talent, expectations are rising every day for a Cleveland franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2002.
But where do the Browns rank in terms of talent compared to teams around the NFL?
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Pete Prisco of CBS published a list his Top 100 NFL players and the Browns landed three on the roster: Beckham, Mayfield and Garrett. Guard Joel Bitonio and second-year Pro Bowl corner Denzel Ward qualified as candidates that “just missed.”
Here’s what he had to say about each pick and where they ranked.
No. 12: Odell Beckham Jr.
Here’s what Prisco had to say about the star Cleveland wide receiver.
When he’s on the field, he changes the way a defense defends. He just needs to stay on the field in his new home with the Browns.
Prisco is referencing Beckham’s injury history, which has forced him to miss 16 games the last two seasons — four last year and 12 the year before with a fractured ankle.
Despite missing four games last season, Beckham recorded 1,052 yards and six touchdowns with the Giants. He’s expected to do even more this season with Baker Mayfield throwing him the ball. OBJ has averaged just under 100 yards in his NFL career.
No. 53: Myles Garrett
Here’s what Prisco had to say about the third-year Browns’ pass-rusher Garrett, who’s coming off his first Pro Bowl season.
His ability to pressure the quarterback landed him with 13.5 sacks last season. With more help up front this season, that number should be higher.
The help Prisco is referring to is with the additions of Vernon and Sheldon Richardson, both former Pro Bowler. Garrett has also said he expects Larry Ogunjobi to make the leap to a top-tier talent.
No. 89: Baker Mayfield
Mayfield took the league by storm after assuming the staring role for the Browns.
After supplanting Tyrod Taylor as the starter in Week 3 against the Jets, Mayfield threw for 3,725 yards and had 27 touchdowns — breaking Peyton Manning’s rookie touchdown record.
Many have Mayfield in the preseason MVP conversation, citing the quarterback as a main reason the team has transformed from an 0-16 season just two years ago to a legitimate contender.
Prisco had this to say about the man under center for the Browns.
If he can continue to grow like he did last year as a rookie, he will be much higher on this list next year.
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