The Cleveland Browns are one of the most uninspiring teams in the NFL.
Last summer, the Browns had an 8.5 game win total and were favored in nine games.
This summer? A 5.5 game win total and favored in one game.
That’s not a team trying to contend. That’s a team resetting.
The last few years, the Browns haven't been disappointing. They've been hopeless.
Deshaun Watson was, statistically, the worst quarterback in the NFL last year
Out of 43 QBs with at least 150 pass attempts, Watson ranked:
- 43rd in EPA
- 43rd in success rate
- 42nd in yards per attempt
- 43rd in explosive pass rate
He led the Browns to a 1-5 start before tearing his Achilles. But honestly, the injury might’ve saved them from further embarrassment.
From there? It was a carousel of chaos: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Jameis Winston, Bailey Zappe — none of it mattered.
And that’s why this year’s team feels so directionless…and yet so familiar.
Welcome to the 2025 Browns quarterback room:
- Joe Flacco
- Kenny Pickett
- Dillon Gabriel
- Shedeur Sanders
Four quarterbacks. Zero clarity.
None are franchise guys — at least not yet. But that might be the point.
Could the Browns be finally building toward something instead of pretending they’ve already arrived?
Possibly.
They traded out of the No. 2 pick. They stacked draft capital for 2026.
And they took swings on long-shot upside — Gabriel in the third, Sanders in the fifth, and a roster full of question marks.
This isn’t tanking. It’s triage.
It’s a franchise admitting it lost the Watson gamble and choosing to live in reality instead of doubling down on denial.
And speaking of reality, the Browns were *historically* bad on offense last year.
Let’s talk first down. Here's where they ranked:
- 32nd in EPA/pass
- 32nd in pass success rate
- 32nd in passer rating
- 32nd in EPA/rush
- 31st in rush success rate
- 29th in yards per carry
- 32nd in first downs per rush
It was bad. And it didn’t stop there.
Because of their pitiful first down offense:
- They faced the longest third downs in the league
- They ranked dead last on third down conversion rate
- Dead last in red zone drives
- Dead last in points per drive
- Dead last in points per game
- And dead last in wins
They also ranked 31st in average halftime lead, meaning they were behind early and often — and completely unequipped to play from behind.
Their receivers were just as brutal:
- 31st in on-target catch rate
- 30th in drop rate
Looking ahead to 2025, the Browns play the NFL’s hardest schedule to start the year — Bengals, Ravens, Packers, and Lions — and it’s easy to see how 2025 could spiral before it ever starts.
And yet, there is a narrow path to relevance.
From Week 6 onward, the Browns face the fifth-easiest road schedule.
Their three toughest opponents — Ravens, Bills, and 49ers — all come to Cleveland.
If the defense holds, and if someone — anyone — emerges at quarterback, they could punch above their weight.
But the odds are stacked high.
This defense, while ranked top five overall last year, was destroyed by explosive plays — 30th against deep passes, 31st against explosive runs.
Now they face the NFL’s toughest schedule of opposing offenses.
There’s only so much Myles Garrett can cover up.
Here’s the truth: The Browns are in limbo.
Will they tank? Because they’re not contending.
Maybe it’s Gabriel. Maybe it’s Sanders.
Maybe it’s the top quarterback in the 2026 draft.
But this season is no longer about chasing wins.
It’s about discovering if anything in this locker room can still be salvaged, and if so, who’s worth building around. But that doesn't bode well for this coaching staff.
Cleveland has the draft capital.
They’ve acknowledged the cap disaster.
And they’ve stopped pretending Watson is the answer.
There are more questions than answers in Cleveland.
Unfortunately, it's been that way for far too long.
Here's to hoping 2025 can lead to a brighter future.
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