Editor's note: Tony Grossi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN 850 WKNR.

Hue Jackson, the great Browns orator, is done making proclamations and predictions.

Jackson is never jumping into Lake Erie again. If nothing else, “the Cleanse” of June rinsed Jackson’s urge to over-hype his team.

On the first work day of Jackson’s third regular season, he declined to even compare the 2018 Browns roster to the two that produced a record of 1-31.

“Honestly, I would rather not look back,” Jackson said. “I just feel really good about this group. We have to get ourselves ready to play. It is a big-time game this week. This is against the best team in our division. It is a huge game.”

The season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers is the biggest game of Jackson’s coaching career, and he knows it.

The quarterback in Jackson feels the pressure closing in on his pocket. His mind’s play clock is ticking faster than ever.

This is the best roster – by far – Jackson has taken into a season.

These are the highest expectations – by far – Jackson has carried on his shoulders.

He can’t express optimism without indicting himself if his team loses an opener again. So Jackson is trapped from touting his third team too much.

In truth, it has been a training camp and preseason loaded with more positives than negatives.

Eight reasons I’m bullish on the Browns …

1. Myles Garrett is healthy.

On draft night in 2017, Garrett vowed to “chop down” Browns-killer Ben Roethlisberger in his first NFL game. But a freak high ankle sprain suffered in practice four days before last season’s opener not only delayed Garrett’s NFL debut but also impaired his entire rookie season.

While Garrett was active and playing to a high level in the season finale meeting with the Steelers, Roethlisberger was given the day off.

So Sunday’s re-opener against the Steelers is Garrett’s mulligan to make good on his promise in his first game ever against Big Ben. And he doubled down this year by agreeing to act out a scene shredding a picture of Ben to mimic the television show “the Office” in a club-produced video in July to hype the coming season.

In the offseason, Garrett reduced body fat and increased stamina through a rigorous training regimen with the goal of staying healthy and “finishing” games with game-changing plays in the fourth quarter. In the preseason, Garrett was described by teammates as “a beast” and “a monster.”

Garrett is the single-most important player for the Browns to defeat Big Ben and turn around their fortunes this season.

2. The quarterback plan is working.

While the Jets force-feed Sam Darnold, the Bills back off from starting unready Josh Allen, and the Cardinals wait for frail Josh Rosen to recover from preseason injuries, the Browns’ well-conceived quarterback plan to ease in Baker Mayfield proceeds undeterred.

The season kicks off, as advertised, with Tyrod Taylor the Browns’ undisputed starting quarterback. Mayfield, the No. 1 pick, clearly has benefitted from observing Taylor’s professional demeanor and work habits, and by picking the brain of experienced mentor Drew Stanton. Mayfield had a marvelous rookie preseason.

The Browns haven’t surrounded a rookie quarterback with such abundant learning resources since they broke in Bernie Kosar in 1985.

While the QB plan calls for Taylor to start the season, the fine print does not preclude Mayfield from stepping in – if the team record falters.

3. Josh Gordon is with the team for Game 1.

This has not happened since Gordon’s rookie season in 2012 – six years ago.

Although Gordon missed essentially a month of training camp and all four preseason games, he enters the first week of regular season mentally and physically healthy.

In the past, Gordon has walked onto the field after months of football inactivity and has instantly been the team’s best receiver. The fact he completed the entire offseason program – from OTAs through minicamp – should not be discounted.

Remember, he needs the Browns now more than they need him. He has to not only stay eligible, but also produce to secure a lasting source of income to provide for two daughters.

4. Todd Haley.

Hard Knocks effectively has portrayed the new offensive coordinator for whom he is – a no-nonsense, hard-driving coach who knows what it takes to win.

Haley’s offensive system and high-percentage pass play-calling should insure the Browns of improving significantly on offense and freeing up Jackson to better manage game situations from the sideline.

Haley’s history of developing receivers will also play heavily into the Browns’ turnaround.

5. Jarvis Landry.

Landry’s 100-catch average over four seasons in Miami speaks for itself. What we saw in his first Browns preseason was a receiver who can change the culture in a position group that has been a franchise embarrassment for over a decade.

6. Overall team health.

Jackson took it on the chin for being soft for giving players days off during camp. But as the season kicks off, the Browns have not lost a player for the season due to injury, and they appear to be in their best possible shape health-wise.

If that is mere good fortune than applied analytics, then so be it.

7. That defensive tour de force.

Over a small sample size, the No. 1 defense allowed 3 points in the equivalent of four quarters. Gregg Williams’ units ranked sixth overall in yards allowed in preseason and had five takeaways in its last eight quarters on the field.

Although the defensive secondary was never challenged in preseason games, the roster overhaul at that position group improved both the front-line positions and the back-end depth.

8. No apparent malingerers.

The top three receivers at season’s start a year ago were Corey Coleman, Kenny Britt and Sammie Coates. If you caught their act on the practice field and in the locker room each day, you weren’t surprised by how they performed on Sundays.

Purging the team of malingerers, hangers-on, and entitled ne’er-do-wells was important.

And four reasons I’m not …

1. The work in progress at quarterback.

While the Browns have made strides at the game’s most important position, the fact is they still will field the fourth-best quarterback in their division.

Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton all have better NFL resumes than Taylor, who is a big improvement for the Browns but still not the final answer.

2. Uncertainty at left side of offensive line.

Replacing future Hall of Famer Joe Thomas was not going to come easily. But having Joel Bitonio move to left tackle and breaking in Austin Corbett at left guard appeared to be the best solution in August.

That the team was still considering alternatives – starting undrafted free agent Desmond Harrison at left tackle and moving Bitonio to left guard – in the work week prior to the season opener was not a good sign.

3. Uncertainty at wide receiver.

While Landry is a significant addition, the receiver group as a whole was a riddled with question marks.

Of the six receivers kept on the final roster:

* Three are rookies – Antonio Callaway, Damion Ratley and Derrick Willies.

* Two are hardly dependable – Gordon has missed 54 of the Browns last 64 games due to league and team suspensions, and Callaway was suspended his last year at Florida and then was cited for marijuana possession and driving with a suspended license in an early-morning police stop in August.

4. More rampant roster overhaul.

After all the moves made by GM John Dorsey and his personnel staff, the final roster of 53 included 31 players not on the team from a year ago.

Now, turning over the roster would seem a prudent thing to do after an 0-16 season. But to expect a team with a roster 58 percent new to mesh into a winner during one season is unrealistic.

Plus, the roster is still in a fragile state, unable to overcome just one injury at numerous position groups.