NFL Win/Loss Preview Series: Cleveland Browns originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Another offseason of question marks leaves Browns’ faithful wondering if they can build off a three-win season or capitulate and get the paper bags ready early…

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BROWNS’ WIN/LOSS ODDS:

One look at Cleveland’s win/loss totals tells you all you need to know regarding expectations for their upcoming 2025 season — spoiler alert, they’re exceedingly low. Currently the (+400) favorite to finish with the NFL’s worst record, there’s a plethora of questions in need of answering before projecting even the four wins needed to clear the lowest bar above.

As with any sharp NFL analysis, it starts under center with the quarterback — where no one’s even close to Cleveland’s ineptitude staffing professional sports’ most crucial position. Yes, that includes the Jets somehow. Busted picks, injuries and offseason degeneracy always seems to creep to the fore and derail any hero’s tale before it begins. Thankfully, we’ll no longer be subjected to Deshaun Watson… but is there only one direction to go at quarterback?

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The Browns traded for Pittsburgh’s 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett, only to decline his option for 2026 in late April after drafting QBs Dillon Gabriel (Oregon, Rd 3 Pick 94) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado, Rd 5 Pick 144). Needless to say, this feels like throwing spaghetti at the wall with the hope something sticks. The Sanders saga in particular smells a little like it could be the next great tale of redemption — if Cleveland can cultivate a positive surrounding contextual environment.

I’m tempering any expectations on a successful reclamation for the offense in 2025 at least, considering CLE finished bottom-3 in points per game (15.5), net point differential (-10.4), yards per play (4.6), offensive success rate (39.6%), and EPA per play (-0.19). Woof. On the flipside, it’s hard to believe a defense led by All-World player Myles Garrett could perform so poorly — outside defensive rushing metrics that is.

Despite impressive top-5 finishes in success rate (56.1%), snaps per splash play (2.8), pressure rate (41.7%), sack rate (8.7%) plus hurries (13.4), QB hits (11.6), and sacks per game (3.9) the Browns aggressive nature led to consistently over pursuing the ballcarriers — which hurt both their ability to sufficiently stop the run as well as deep balls downfield. Cleveland’s brass has their work cut out for them…

LAGHEZZA’S LEAN:

As excited as I am to see the pairing of Myles Garrett and rookie Mason Graham man the same defensive line, I wouldn’t touch this team with a ten-foot pole. Expect CLE to keep the pressure on the opposition but their impact is capped since the secondary remains mostly unaddressed. Combine that with my aforementioned uncertainties on the offensive side of the ball and suddenly that (+400) for the league’s worst record doesn’t look too shabby.

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.