Over the past couple of decades, the Cleveland Browns have been familiar with the fourth and final spot in the AFC North. With Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati each having their own periods of success in recent years, Cleveland has struggled to make a move in the division, let alone the AFC.<\/p>\n
However, Trevor Sikkema thinks there\u2019s a path toward flipping that narrative in 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they [Browns] got a lot better this [offseason]. You take John Harbaugh away from the Ravens, you take Mike Tomlin away from the Steelers, I think that this is a very evenly matched division,\u201d Sikkema said Wednesday on the Inside Coverage podcast<\/a>. \u201cAs long as somebody steps up at quarterback, that to me is the easiest path of any of the teams. We already know that the Browns have an elite defense. They got a lot more talent on the offensive side of the ball, and I\u2019m a big Todd Monken guy.\u201d<\/p>\n Sikkema isn\u2019t wrong that there\u2019s been a lot of transition in the division. The Ravens have been dominant the last couple of years and would have won the division even on a down year in 2025, had Tyler Loop not shanked a 44-yard field goal. But they\u2019ve got a new head coach in Jesse Minter. While Baltimore still has plenty of talent, there\u2019s no telling how Minter\u2019s team will do in his first year leading an NFL team.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh also has nearly an entirely new coaching staff. Mike Tomlin isn\u2019t in the building anymore, which could mean an end to the Steelers eking out winning records despite having less talented rosters. But it\u2019s hard to act as if they didn\u2019t upgrade their offense this offseason, at least on paper. And with an offensive-minded head coach in Mike McCarthy, that unit could be much better in 2026. The defense needs to perform better as well, but some believe it will<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cincinnati has hit a rough patch after its recent string of seasons competing for the AFC North crown. However, it\u2019s hard to bet against an offense featuring Joe Burrow, Ja\u2019Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. If they can improve defensively, the Bengals certainly could be in the mix this season.<\/p>\n