The Cleveland Browns are no longer in the NFL's basement. They're finally an established playoff contender -- stocked with talent on both sides of the football -- and primed to achieve back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1988-89.
But are the Browns capable of taking another big leap forward, and making a run at the Super Bowl in 2021?
JR weighed in on the Browns' championship odds during Wednesday's edition of the JR SportBrief show.
"Yeah, the Browns are good right now, but they've got to prove it," JR said. "It's nice to do it in a year's time. It's nice to actually get back into the playoffs. Baker Mayfield proved it -- he did. Well, now you've got to prove it for entire season, show that it wasn't just a flash. I would say, more than likely, it wasn't. But now, you've got to collectively come together -- 53 guys, it doesn't matter what your names are -- y'all have got to mesh and meld. Y'all can't have all of the names and all of the high-profile players and, you know, poop in the bed. You can't do that.
"But I think they're legitimate contenders in the AFC. Am I ready to say Browns to the Super Bowl? Hell no. Not yet. Let me see y'all do it consistently first. Let me see y'all get over the hump. But the Browns, you've got to take them seriously. You like the Steelers? Take the Browns seriously. You like the Ravens? Take the Browns seriously. You can say that eventually, they'll be the same old Browns, and yes, we've seen that happen for a long time. But you should take them seriously as contenders until they go ahead and make that mess in the bed themselves."
On Wednesday, the Browns signed veteran free agent pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney to a one-year deal worth up to $10 million, according to multiple reports. As a result of the move, Cleveland's odds to win Super Bowl 56 increased to +2000, which rank eighth-highest in the NFL.
JR's complete thoughts on the Browns can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the JR SportBrief show on Twitter @JRSportBrief and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.