CLEVELAND, Ohio — Marc Ross worked in the front office of the New York Giants for 11 years. Before that, at age 27 he became the youngest college scouting director in the league with the Philadelphia Eagles. He knows what it’s like to build a roster.
There’s no roster in the NFL he likes better than that of the Cleveland Browns.
Smart guy.
Ross joined me on the Thursday edition of the Orange and Brown Talk Podcast to discuss his ranking and the various parts of the roster. I wrote before the Super Bowl in January that the Browns might be the third-best team in the league, and that was before they added John Johnson III, Jadeveon Clowney, Troy Hill, Anthony Walker and Takk McKinley in free agency and took Greg Newsome and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in the draft.
I think you’ll enjoy our 30-minute conversation. But here, in brief, are my five reasons why I think ranking the Browns as the league’s No. 1 roster makes sense.
1. No gaping holes: There might not be obvious standouts at linebacker and defensive tackle, but there appears to be a reliable four-man rotation (at least) of veterans and young players at both spots. I don’t think you’d look at either spot and think a weakness there will ruin the season. Everywhere else is strong.
2. The offensive line: Five top-end guys all returning from a year ago — I don’t know that any team in the league can match that. What a building block.
3. Skill position depth: The best two-man running back combo in the league; two high-level receivers and another four that you can put on the field with some belief; and three tight ends for an offense that loves tight ends. That’s 11 skill position guys that give Kevin Stefanski options and make any single absence of a player not something that should derail the season.
4. Good players still with upside: Whether it’s veterans like Odell Beckham Jr. or Clowney; young veterans like Denzel Ward or Ronnie Harrison; or young players like Jedrick Wills, Grant Delpit, Greedy Williams and the current draft picks, there’s talent where the team can anticipate a minimum level of good play. But there are at least a few players on that list who could also make a major jump this season. What if OBJ is better than we’ve ever seen?
5. The quarterback is good enough: Baker Mayfield doesn’t have to be better than Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady for the Browns to be ranked ahead of Kansas City and Tampa Bay. But he has to be in range. He is.
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