Which team is closest to a title?

Jan 30, 2023 - 2:29 PM

The Super Bowl matchup is set for this year with the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chiefs have been a juggernaut the last few seasons while the Eagles have risen to prominence relatively quickly. The two teams represent the staying power of a great HC/QB duo and the ability to change your team’s fortunes in the NFL quickly.

As fans of the Cleveland Browns prepare for another offseason where a few major changes must take place, it is fair to wonder if the team is even close to the level of the two Super Bowl participants. Or even on the level of the runner-up Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers.

While we are a Browns site, we also are big fans of the other Cleveland teams. The city is one of the rare ones in sports to have NFL, NBA and MLB in one city. Thankfully, all three teams also have a reason for hope despite a history that should not provide that.

• The Cleveland Cavaliers have Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen as a young foundation
• The Cleveland Guardians consistently have great pitching to go along with Jose Ramirez and a very young roster that won the division and made the playoffs last year
• The Cleveland Browns have Deshaun Watson, Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, a good offensive line and some young talent on the defense

Which team is closer to competing for a championship in their respective sport? A difficult question for sure given the sports that they play:

• In the NBA, you need at least one megastar and a very good to great roster around that star
• MLB playoffs are very random with the best teams not always even making the World Series
• The NFL has the most variables with 22 players on the field at once and the huge, compared to other sports, 53-man rosters

Who do you think is the closest to winning a championship in their league?