The buzz early in Cleveland has actually been about the skill-position players, not the QBs. Zac Jackson of The Athletic pegged rookie receiver Denzel Boston as maybe the most impressive offensive player of the Browns' spring, and first-rounder KC Concepcion is being schemed to line up all over the formation. That's a nice problem to have, except it means nothing if nobody's getting them the ball consistently. Jerry Jeudy's hamstring issue is worth watching too, given how thin Cleveland's proven receiver depth already is.
Zoom out and the 2025 seasons tell two very different stories. Carolina became the first team in NFL history to win its division twice with a losing record, backing into the playoffs at 8-9 before bowing out to the Rams in the Wild Card round. Cleveland finished 16.2 points a game, ahead of only the Raiders, while cycling through 10 different offensive line combinations by season's end. Both trend lines late in the year offer a wrinkle, though: Carolina limped home on a four-game skid to close 2025, while Cleveland actually won its final two. Neither finish should be taken as gospel this early, but it's a reminder that late-season form doesn't always carry over cleanly.
This is a contract-year measuring stick for Bryce Young as much as anything. He's entering the last year of his rookie deal with a fifth-year option looming, and Carolina handed offensive coordinator duties to Brad Idzik this offseason to keep pushing his development. If Young takes another step, Carolina's the more dangerous team on paper regardless of who wins Cleveland's quarterback battle. If he stalls, this game gets a lot closer than the storylines suggest.