Playoffs? The Browns?

(Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Cleveland Browns entered the 2026 season with low expectations on both a local and national level. According to the script, the club would start quarterback Deshaun Watson for a handful of games, either until he played himself out of a jo

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What is the story about?

The Cleveland Browns entered the 2026 season with low expectations on both a local and national level.

According to the script, the club would start quarterback Deshaun Watson for a handful of games, either until he played himself out of a job or was injured again. Then they would “see what they had” with Shedeur Sanders, give Dillon Gabriel a couple of games, and then close out with rookie Taylen Green making the annual Week 18 meaningless start.

From there, it would be on to draft season, where the Browns

would make their latest attempt at solving the quarterback conundrum that has plagued the team for far too long.

It is only two weeks into the season, but the Browns – especially Watson – are trying to rewrite that script.

The Browns open the home portion of the season on Sunday when they host the Carolina Panthers, whom the Browns have beaten in the past two meetings, followed four days later by a visit from the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have lost four in a row and six of their last seven games against the Browns in Cleveland.

Following the mini-bye after the Pittsburgh game, the Browns take on the Jets, where there are already calls for head coach Aaron Glenn’s job.

Play well enough, and rather than spending time juggling through a quarterback room full of players who will not be on the roster in 2027, the Browns could be heading to Baltimore on October 18 to face the Ravens with a 4-1 record.

This is putting the cart so far ahead of the horse that you can’t even see it, but that hasn’t stopped ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler from booking a seat on the Cleveland bandwagon.

Fowler was on ESPN 850 radio on Thursday and provided a surprising answer when asked if the Browns are closer to a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft or making the playoffs:

“I would say closer to a playoff spot. That is kind of where I’m at. I’ve been on record that I think they are going to be better than last year but not quite a playoff team, probably somewhere in the middle. Winning is infectious; if you get a few that can carry you a little bit into winning games you have no business winning.

“It can go the other way in a hurry, too; 17 games is a long way. But I do have them closer (to the playoffs) right now.”

It is nice that anyone is using the Browns and playoffs in the same sentence, but as Fowler points out, there is still a long way to go. No matter how much they turn the roster over, this is a franchise that has consistently shown that it can’t handle even a little bit of success.

Sunday against the Panthers is the first opportunity for this year’s squad to show that things are going to be different. Take care of business against the Panthers and Steelers next week, and Fowler won’t be the only one high on the Browns.