Everybody hates the Cleveland Browns when it comes to preseason Power Rankings

The PFF Preseason Power Rankings seem to agree with everyone else; The Cleveland Browns are not a good team on paper.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) has released its preseason Power Rankings and they don’t think the Browns have done enough this offseason to warrant high praise. The Browns came in with holes on the defensive line, receiving corp, safety position, and at linebacker. And while they’ve signed or traded for guys to help bolster the positions, most experts agree these players were the Wish.com version of what the team needed.

It turns out clearing $20 million in cap space didn’t give the Browns the money they needed to actually pursue huge upgrades. Yes, most of the guys are step-ups over what the team had, but if we’re talking about to what degree, the Browns had F- players, and upgraded to D+ or C- type players.

So an improvement, but not much of one. We’ve been saying that all offseason, and so has Sports Illustrated (who listed the Browns at No. 17), as does ESPN (who listed the Browns at No. 19). Now PFF’s preseason power ranking has the Browns even lower, this time at No. 21.

From PFF.com;

"21. Cleveland Browns• Biggest loss: QB Jacoby Brissett• Biggest gain: S Juan ThornhillDeshaun Watson’s abilities will now be put to the test.The Browns shored up their defense by adding safety Juan Thornhill, defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and edge Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to a unit that already has Myles Garrett. This defense may be a force."

Being improved from last year doesn’t mean the Cleveland Browns are improved enough

The team went out and got bargain basement upgrades with their biggest signings being Juan Thornhill, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. Thornhill is, at best, a slightly better version of John Johnson III, and at worst, just like him. Dalvin Tomlinson seems to be on a decline, and despite pushing 30, the narrative around Okoronkwo is that he’s young and getting ready to “break out” after a half of season of mediocre play in Houston.

These moves might work out, or they may not. The national media, just like myself, don’t think the Browns did enough so far to warrant high praise for the team. Yes, they’re handcuffed in what they can do due to the financial limitations, but if this is the best they can do in upgrading the roster with a limited amount of money, just imagine how bad things are going to be next year.