It’s been a while since there’s been a legitimate excitement for the Cleveland Browns, the franchise that has long been associated with malaise, misfortune, and ineptitude. But times have changed, and with a new head coach in Freddie Kitchens, people are starting to believe in the Browns. Among them is former NFL quarterback and current CBS Sports personality Rich Gannon.

On Monday, Gannon expressed his belief in Kitchens and the Browns. He even went as far as to say that Cleveland has a good chance of topping the AFC North division as soon as next season.

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Winning the AFC North remains a tall task for the Browns, considering that they’re in the same group as the Pittsburgh Steelers, a perennial Super Bowl contender, and the Baltimore Ravens, who are the defending division champions. That said, the Browns showed last season that they can keep in step, having jumped from being a zero-win team in 2017 to finishing the 2018 season with a 7-8-1 slate. With a promising group of youngsters and the momentum they built in 2018, the Browns are looking for a better season ahead.

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has been fantastic in his first season in the NFL, and looked completely worth a first-round pick for Cleveland, which is infamous for wasting high picks on assets that almost always flame out. The team’s defense features the likes of Myles Garrett, Joe Schobert, Jabrill Peppers, and Denzel Ward, who all flashed brilliance in 2018.

It’s a tough job, but it’s all now on Freddie Kitchens to show the Browns the way to more success, beginning next season.