Earl Thomas: Ravens 'got tired' of Browns' hype

The Baltimore Ravens spent the offseason listening to fans and the media fawn over the Cleveland Browns, which apparently didn't sit well with the current AFC North leaders, according to star safety Earl Thomas.

Ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Browns, Thomas said Wednesday that the Ravens "got tired" of hearing about the hype surrounding Cleveland after the acquisition of Odell Beckham Jr., among other high-profile moves.

"The media was talking about OBJ and that tandem and Baker Mayfield, the next savior," Thomas said Wednesday, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. "Then, to add on to that, Coach (Harbaugh) talked about it a couple of times in meetings. So guys kind of got tired about it."

Many tabbed the Browns to top the AFC North over the Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers - the two teams that have dominated the division since its inception in 2002 - after the team's strong finish to the 2018 season.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh even called Cleveland "the most talented team in the division" in March.

But the Browns have fallen short of expectations so far this season. They sit at 1-2 and the much-hyped offense currently ranks 27th in points per game.

Meanwhile, the 2-1 Ravens are in first place in the division thanks in large part to the progression of their own second-year quarterback, Lamar Jackson.

Jackson was overshadowed by Mayfield during their rookie season despite leading Baltimore to the playoffs, but his development as a passer has helped the Ravens top the league in scoring through three weeks.