Former Browns Star Sends Strong Warning to Bengals

The Cleveland Browns are universally viewed as the worst team in an otherwise stacked AFC North division heading into 2025, and that doesn't appear ready to change any time soon.

However, do the Browns have an edge over one of their divisional rivals in a specific area?

Former Browns cornerback Hanford Dixon thinks so, firing a warning to the Cincinnati Bengals over their lackluster defense.

"The Bengals have really, really, really helped their offense," Dixon said on his show. "Joe Burrow, he's always had the weapons, now he's really got the weapons. ... Now, where we've got them is on defense. ... They have to improve their defense."

Dixon is spot on here. Cincinnati ranked just 25th in defense last season, and it hasn't really done much to help itself in that area this offseason. In fact, first-round defensive lineman Shemar Stewart has yet to even agree to a contract with the Bengals.

Of course, in order to exploit Cincinnati's defense, you need an offense, and Cleveland does not have much of a semblance of an organized offense yet.

The Browns have some pieces, such as wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and talented rookies like Shedeur Sanders, Dylan Sampson and Harold Fannin Jr. (let's omit Quinshon Judkins as of now for obvious reasons), but until these guys all prove themselves, it only looks decent on paper.

And actually, the Bengals were the only AFC North team to sweep the Browns last season, so it's not like Cleveland had Cincy's number last year, either.

Perhaps the Browns will make things competitive with the Bengals in 2025, but until Cleveland displays any sort of offensive consistency, it will be hard to envision the Browns actually making any sort of push within the division.