Jaxson Dart hasn’t even taken the Wonderlic Test — a cognitive ability exam used to assess the intelligence of NFL hopefuls — yet, but he’s already got fans questioning his sanity after he praised the Cleveland Browns’ team structure at the NFL Scouting Combine this week.
“I’ve been able to sit down with [the Browns], have those visits and really just chop it up. They have a ton of talent,” he told reporters at the combine. “I think that they’re a team that’s really going to have a ton of success in these next coming years. I think they’re built for success now.”
Fans Are Clowning Jaxson Dart for Calling the Browns a Win-Now Team
The keyboard warriors have taken up arms over Dart’s take, with several sharing disparaging messages on X to express their disbelief at his opinion.
Dude needs a drug test stat
— The Goot (@The_Goot) February 28, 2025
This is proof he isn’t smart enough to play in the NFL
— 4-Orange (@land_browns) February 28, 2025
Who needs the Wonderlic test when we can have people raise IQ concerns without putting pen to paper? https://t.co/tvpEDRZU14
— Kyle Soppe (@KyleSoppePFN) February 28, 2025
LOL, he just wants to get drafted as highly as possible. Same with Sanders.
They both know much better lol — Sam (@blueOctorok) February 28, 2025
However, the few, the proud, the Browns fans were quick to reply:
We went 11-6 with the same roster a year ago yes we are lmao
— Jakob Gilbert (@jgilbert0407) February 28, 2025
Can the Browns Be a Contender in 2025?
There are a ton of factors contributing to the Browns’ ability, or lack thereof, to compete in the upcoming NFL season. However, two stand out above the rest.
The first major, potentially make-or-break factor in the Browns’ season is Myles Garrett’s trade request and subsequent refusal to sign an extension in Cleveland. The six-time All-Pro and former Defensive Player of the Year anchored a defensive unit that finished the season within the top 10 in PFSN’s Defense+ metric.
By all accounts, it’s safe to assume that Garrett won’t be there to help keep the Browns’ abysmal offense in the game next season. PFSN’s experts have pegged the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and Washington Commanders as a few of his top landing spots.
It’s important to note that the word “abysmal” isn’t used lightly to describe the Browns’ offense. In fact, they came dead last in PFSN’s Offense+ metric, which is as much an indictment of starter Deshaun Watson as it is of his motley crew of backups who substituted for him after his season came to an end in late October due to an Achilles injury.
Watson scored just six total touchdowns while recording a whopping eight total turnovers in his seven games played en route to a 1-6 record, which, among other equally unimpressive stats, made him the worst quarterback in the league this season, according to PFSN’s QB+ metric.
Combine that with the fact that he recently suffered a setback in his recovery from the Achilles tear that kept him sidelined all year, and it’s a near certainty Watson won’t be starting for the Browns to kick off 2025.
However, his fun-loving yet turnover-prone backup, Jameis Winston, likely won’t be the choice to lead Cleveland to a winning record either.
That’s where the second major factor in the Browns’ potential success comes in. If they can land a starting-caliber quarterback in the draft, they have the weapons (provided Nick Chubb can somewhat return to form and David Njoku and Jerry Jeudy can continue to build on strong 2024 seasons) to field a decent offense.
PFSN’s latest mock draft projects the Browns taking Miami QB Cam Ward with the second overall pick to address that issue.
As things stand, Dart is projected to go 26th overall to the Los Angeles Rams as the third QB off the board. However, given his comments, the Browns are clearly also looking at him to fill the role.
Whether his take on the Browns’ potential for success was a genuine opinion or, as one X user suggested, a ploy to climb the draft board and land in Cleveland, nobody knows.
Nonetheless, Browns fans will certainly be keeping an eye on Dart at the combine, which is ongoing until Sunday, and the NFL draft, which kicks off on Thursday, April 24.