The torch has been passed in the AFC North. This is now the Browns' division, at least according to Kansas Chiefs Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Kelce, who was born and raised in Cleveland, made an appearance over the weekend at Jarvis Landry's charitable softball game. The All-Pro said he expects the Browns to be at the top of the conference, right along with the Chiefs.
"They're definitely a contender, without a doubt," Kelce said, via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. "It's definitely there. Baker [Mayfield] and the gang have upped the ante, made this team an unbelievable team and a team you have to prepare for and take serious. I think that moving forward without a doubt, I can see a lot more playoff games between us, and I'll just take it one day at a time and hope for it. I think the Browns and Chiefs are definitely neck and neck."
In isolation, Kelce's comments aren't surprising. The Browns delivered their best season last year since returning to Cleveland, going 11-5 and throttling the Steelers in the Wide Card Round, 48-37. They intercepted Ben Roethlisberger four times in the first half.
Clearly, they are now considered one of the top teams in the conference. The Steelers, meanwhile, are not — as seemingly every NFL analyst is making clear. Pittsburgh's offseason is being universally panned, with pundits ranging from Bill Barnwell to Mike Tannenbaum criticizing its moves.
Most crucially, Baker Mayfield is on the ascent, while Ben Roethlisberger finished the 2020 season on a dreadful note. It's apparent those around the NFL are taking what happened that Sunday night at Heinz Field as a harbinger of what's to come.
