AP

The Browns may lack talent at certain positions on their roster, but they shouldn’t be short on motivation.

That’s the message sent by coach Mike Pettine, who was asked Wednesday about predictions regarding the team’s chances of contending for anything more than a high draft pick next year. Pettine joked that he’s seen projections ranking the Browns fifth in the four-team AFC North, but got more serious about how the Browns can use that to their advantage.

“Nobody wants to be disrespected,” Pettine said, via the Associated Press. “It’s a prideful group, and I just see it as a motivating thing. We had two wins over division opponents last year by 21 points, and we just feel our best path to get to where we want to be is in the division. We played well enough — at times — to be in that conversation and at other times we didn’t. I think so much of the NFL is every team is capable, but who can do it consistently and who can do it the longest. I think that’s where we have to take that next step this year.”

Pettine steered the Browns to a 7-4 record last season, but everything unraveled during a five-game losing streak that left the Browns in their familiar position on the outside looking in at the teams that advanced to the playoffs. That makes it 13 years without a playoff berth, which makes it feel less like disrespect and more like a desire for others to see something that makes them think that it will be anything other than the same old Browns this season.

However you frame it, though, there should be plenty of motivation in Cleveland for a better outcome this year.