Detroit Lions can surpass the Cleveland Browns for NFL relevance

Since midway last year, the Browns have actually been relevant. The Detroit Lions are trying to do the same and here’s how they can surpass Cleveland.

There can be several parallels that can be drawn between the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns. The Midwestern cities that both teams reside in are sometimes looked down upon from non-residents but natives of Detroit and Cleveland respectively carry with them a great sense of pride and respect for where they live.

Both organizations achieved their championship heyday in the 1950s and the Lions and Browns can each lay a legitimate claim to being the home of the greatest NFL running back ever with hall of famers Barry Sanders and Jim Brown permanently centered in a never ending debate amongst fans and experts alike.

The more dubious commonalities between Detroit and Cleveland include their decades-long reputation of being perennial league doormats, no Super Bowl appearances ever, and of course, being the only two franchises to go 0-16 in the NFL’s regular season.

Currently, there’s no doubt about it, the Cleveland Browns are winning the offseason. With the strong play of their young, Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Baker Mayfield and their recent blockbuster trade to attain the mercurial wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., the eyes of the collective football world are upon “The Land.”

There are some who are even going as far as referring to the Browns as “America’s Team” which is a crazy proposition in and of itself considering that they’re talking about the Browns!

They may currently be the talk of the town but the last time I checked, NFL trophies aren’t handed out for winning the offseason.

Despite their reputation as a snake bitten organization, the Detroit Lions may not be as far off from legitimate competition as some would have you believe.

Here are a few simple steps that I feel like the Lions could take to turn themselves into pertinent players and eventual contenders within the football world.