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The AFC North is full of excellent teams, with all four making the playoffs in 2023. That includes the Cleveland Browns, who required four quarterbacks to complete the season and faced a fifth play in Week 18 with nothing on the line.

It’s not only a division with good teams; the teams recognize the value of a rivalry. The Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are both in Ohio and will face off. Then there’s the Baltimore Ravens, who took Cleveland’s franchise in 1996.

Despite these relationships, Cleveland supporters despise one club above all others: the Pittsburgh Steelers. As much as the Dawg Pound has appreciated their team’s recent resurgence, Pittsburgh’s difficulties may offer just as much delight.

Deshaun Watson, who is in his third season with the team, has witnessed this and understands how intense the competition is. While speaking on his podcast, he stated that no rivalry is as serious as Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh. “Cleveland-Pittsburgh, for sure,” Watson stated on his QB Unplugged podcast. “It is even bigger than Cincinnati. It is not Baltimore. Baltimore is undoubtedly a big game. It’s up there, but it’s not as authentic as Pittsburgh.”

There are three reasons why the rivalry is so crucial. One is the duration. This is one of the NFL’s oldest rivalries, dating back to 1950. Pittsburgh leads the series, with an 81-63-1 record in 145 encounters (including postseason). The NFL is all about stories, and these two franchises are packed with intrigue and history.

The second factor is the cities’ close proximity and similarities. Cleveland and Pittsburgh are separated by a two-hour journey, against 5.5 hours for Cleveland and Baltimore and 3.5 hours for Cleveland and Cincinnati. They are also both renowned as blue-collar communities that take great pride in their work ethic.

There are a few instances during the NFL offseason when teams like to finalize extensions with players they wish to keep. First, the league year begins in March. Second, when players show up for voluntary OTAs. Third, just before the season began.

While the Cleveland Browns haven’t always agreed with one of those three (Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller extensions, for example), the Houston Texans’ contract of WR Nico Collins may lead to more deals being made around the league.

While the NFLPA may desire to abolish spring activities, the NFL values the 12-month coverage required of their league under agreements like this:

While the specifics of the agreement will be crucial, the annual value places Collins’ contract in the top ten among all receivers, tied for seventh with DK Metcalf. For the Browns, veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper is salivating over all of the recent transactions as he approaches free agency at the end of the season.

Cooper headlines our list of three Cleveland players who could get extensions before the start of the season:

(CB Martin Emerson Jr. would be on the list, but rookie contracts do not let players to sign extensions until after their third season.)

WR Amari Cooper
Cooper is unlikely to cash in on a long-term contract of more than three years, despite being

While the specifics of the agreement will be crucial, the annual value puts Collins’ contract in the top ten of all receivers, tied for seventh with DK Metcalf. For the Browns, veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper is salivating at all of the recent deals as he approaches free agency at the conclusion of the year.

Cooper headlines our list of three Cleveland players who could sign extensions before the season begins.

(CB Martin Emerson Jr. would be on the list, but rookies are not eligible for extensions until after their third season.)

WR, Amari Cooper
Cooper is unlikely to cash in on a long-term agreement lasting more than three years despite being the