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Bears lose a top weapon for Caleb Williams with pregame injury before Browns in Week 15

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The Cleveland Browns have their hands full with the Chicago Bears in Week 15, with a whole lot of players missing due to injuries and the team possibly not having a full roster for the game. The Browns are focused on seeing what QB Shedeur Sanders can bring, whether DE Myles Garrett can snap the NFL sack record and the 2026 NFL draft order.

The Bears got good news when the inactive reports came out with WR Rome Odunze active for the game. The talented receiver had been dealing with an injury to his foot, which kept him out of Week 14’s game for Chicago.

That good news changed to bad news during pregame when Odunze reinjured his foot and was ruled out for the game:

#Bears WR Rome Odunze, who is officially active, is being ruled out after aggravating his foot injury. Bad news right before kickoff. pic.twitter.com/5ClYpjLuAF

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 14, 2025
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Odunze has 44 catches this season for 661 yards and six touchdowns after 54 catches, 734 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie. DJ Moore is second, behind Odunze, in receptions with WR Olamide Zaccheaus in third.
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve.../112398/bears-rome-oduzne-bears-browns-injury
 
Daily Dawg Chow 12/15; Browns get wrecked, Myles gets closer to record

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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 08: Quarterback Shedeur Sanders #12 of the Cleveland Browns reacts at the line of scrimmage in the first half during the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on August 08, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...t-wrecked-myles-gets-closer-to-record-shedeur
 
Browns roster move on Monday undoes last week’s risky move

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The Cleveland Browns made so many roster moves last week that it was hard to keep them all straight. With a number of injuries on top of the changes on the roster, the Chicago Bears made easy work of the Browns on Sunday. The list of moves last week was long:

On Tuesday:

  • Placed OL Ethan Pocic and RB Jerome Ford on injured reserve
  • Released DE Ochaun Mathis and LB Mark Robinson from the practice squad
  • Signed OL Darrian Dalcourt and DT Keith Cooper Jr. to the practice squad

On Wednesday:

  • Signed OL Jeremiah Byers, RB Trayveon Williams and CB Trey Avery
  • Signed DT Maurice Hurst II to the practice squad
  • Waived S Christopher Edmonds

On Thursday:

  • Signed Edmonds to the practice squad

Then, on Saturday, came the surprising move with Cleveland waiving WR Jamari Thrash, the team’s fifth-round pick in 2024, to make room to sign OL Garrett Dellinger to the active roster.

Thrash had played in just 18 games with just 13 receptions for 129 yards in his two seasons with the Browns, but moving on from a fifth-round pick before the end of his second season caught many off guard. The timing made it more unlikely that any team would claim the former Louisville star, but the Browns risked that happening due to their dire need for offensive line help in Week 15.

Dellinger played in 29 snaps on the offensive line versus the Bears and was Cleveland’s third-highest graded offensive player by Pro Football Focus for his performance.

On Monday, the Browns undid their Saturday move by waiving Dellinger and re-signing Thrash to their roster after he went unclaimed on Sunday. If Dellinger passes through waivers, he is likely to re-sign to Cleveland’s practice squad.

Waiving Thrash on Saturday was not a big risk, but it still risked losing a fifth-round pick with less than two years of service in the NFL. Now, the Browns “risk” losing their third-best offensive player, per PFF, from Sunday.
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...s-roster-move-jamari-thrash-garrett-dellinger
 
Browns still have a crisis at quarterback

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The Cleveland Browns entered the 2025 NFL season knowing that there would be more bad days than good when it comes to the offense.

Despite whatever revisionist history people may currently be pushing, an offense dominated by rookies at key positions, most importantly a pair of them at quarterback, meant that the evaluation process, along with the season as a whole, was going to be rocky.

But there is struggling (it’s the NFL, it is not supposed to be easy), there is bad (like only scoring more than 17 points in a game four times), and then there is what took place on Sunday in the 31-3 loss to the Chicago Bears, which was historically awful.

By now, everyone has seen the raw numbers:

  • Only 21 rushing yards from No. 1 back Quinshon Judkins
  • Only 88 receiving yards from anyone not named Isaiah Bond
  • Only 9 first downs
  • 10 of the 12 offensive drives finished with either a punt or an interception
  • Just 4-of-14 on third down.

That was all certainly bad, but the advanced numbers are what make the day’s performance historically bad.

I thought the Raiders were bad BUT…

The Cleveland Browns' 31-3 loss to the Bears yesterday came out as the 11th-worst single game since 1978 by DVOA.

The Browns had an 8% offensive success rate through the first three quarters. pic.twitter.com/4agFurop0c

— Aaron Schatz 🏈 (@ASchatzNFL) December 15, 2025
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According to Aaron Schatz at FTN Fantasy, the Browns, led by an offense that through three quarters had only an 8 percent success rate, finished the game as the 11th-worst single game by DVOA since 1978 with a combined total of minus-130.3 percent. The offense carried the water on this one, however, at minus-109.5 percent.

There was plenty of blame to go around on Sunday, but this is the NFL, and everything on offense starts and ends with the quarterback. And in Cleveland, when it comes to rookie quarterbacks, things are not going so well.

Browns rookie QBs since 2000, minimum 100 dropbacks pic.twitter.com/cNyFyInjpd

— Steven Ruiz (@theStevenRuiz) December 14, 2025
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While everyone was ready and willing to move on from Dillon Gabriel after his first offensive series, only a slight exaggeration, everyone is equally ready to give Shedeur Sanders a pass, especially coming off a big day against the one-win (at the time) Tennessee Titans.

But it is one thing to look good against the Titans and Las Vegas Raiders, another to look good against a team like the Bears, who are in a battle for a playoff spot.

Browns rookie QBs since 2000, minimum 100 dropbacks pic.twitter.com/cNyFyInjpd

— Steven Ruiz (@theStevenRuiz) December 14, 2025
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The excuses (wide receivers are bad, the offensive line is bad, the head coach hates him) flow freely, but the reality is that the quarterback play, which was bad with Gabriel, has not improved after the switch to Sanders.

How bad has it been? Steven Ruiz at The Ringer took a look at the numbers from TruMedia, and Gabriel is sitting at a total EPA of minus-41.4 while Sanders has clocked in at minus-41.9. Those numbers are in line with the rookie seasons of Dorian Thompson-Robinson (minus-40.7), Luke McCown (minus-38.6), and Charlie Frye (minus-27.8).

Thankfully, they have not reached DeShone Kizer levels (minus-93.8), which seems hard to believe even having witnessed it, so at least there is some small comfort to be found.

Knowing the season was going to be a rough one doesn’t make it any easier to take as a fan, of course. But the Browns now have four full games of data with Sanders as the starter, and while there have been moments of excitement, it has not been good. And it is likely going to get worse the next two weeks with the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers coming to town.

It is also another reminder that the goal should always be to get high-level play from your quarterback, not just play that is better than the other guy. (Which, inconveniently, is not even the case with Sanders and Gabriel.)

There are only three games left in what has been another lost season of football in Cleveland. That is three more opportunities for Sanders to show he deserves to be in the discussion as the starter in 2026.

But given what everyone has seen through the last four games, even if they don’t want to admit it, it seems just as likely as always that the Browns will be back in the quarterback market when the 2026 NFL Draft rolls around next spring.
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...and-browns-still-have-a-crisis-at-quarterback
 
Myles Garrett continues to do things the NFL has never seen

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Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has been terrorizing opposing quarterbacks from the moment he stepped on the field after the franchise made him the No. 1 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Entering the 2025 season, Garrett had already established himself as Cleveland’s all-time leader in sacks with 102.5 and the single-season leader with 16, which he notched in both 2021 and 2022.

Garrett’s 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons are the first by a player since Lawrence Taylor hit the mark in five consecutive seasons with the New York Giants from 1985 to 1989. He is also just one of four players in league history to have four or more sacks in a game three times, joining Chandler Jones, Karl Mecklenburg, and Hall of Famer Reggie White.

Now in his eighth season, Garrett continues to put up numbers that seem hard to believe.

Garrett, who has at least one sack in eight consecutive games, long ago blew past his team record for sacks in a season, as he tallied his 17th sack in Week 12 against the Las Vegas.

"Nobody's ever played the position like he's playing right now… There's nobody in the NFL right now or EVER that could block Myles one-on-one consistently."

Is Myles Garrett the greatest defensive player in NFL history?@joethomas73 | @Browns | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/Rm7L87Hjw6

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) December 16, 2025
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After being credited with 1.5 sacks in Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears, Garrett has a career-high 21.5 sacks, just one away from the official NFL record of 22.5 co-held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt.

Garrett is just one of 13 players with at least sacks in a season since the NFL made sacks an official stat in 1982, and his current sack total is more than either the San Francisco 49ers or New York Jets have posted as a team.

Garrett’s 124 sacks in 131 career games are an ongoing NFL record for the most sacks by a player before they turn 30 (he has two more games to add to that record), easily blowing away Reggie White, the previous record holder, who had 108.

Here's a stat to show just how remarkable Myles Garrett's season is.

These are the lowest figures of "team passes per sack" for players with at least 18 sacks in a season.

Reggie White had 24.8 in 1987, not counting strike games. Garrett is at 20.3. pic.twitter.com/Y4Un6nVl9i

— Aaron Schatz 🏈 (@ASchatzNFL) December 15, 2025
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Speaking of White, his best year for sacks was 21 in 1987. That season, he had a sack every 24.8 pass attempts, the best mark for a player with at least 18 sacks in a season – until Garrett came along.

Through 14 games this season, Garrett has sacked the quarterback once every 20.3 pass attempts, outpacing not only White, but also Strahan (one sack every 25.2 pass attempts) and Watt (one sack every 27.5 pass attempts) in their record-setting seasons.

It can be easy to take Garrett for granted since he has been performing at a high level for several years now. But the numbers he has put up this season, often while facing double- and triple-teams, have been remarkable.

And with three games still to go, there is no telling just what surprises Garrett may have in store before the final whistle blows on the 2025 regular season.
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...continues-to-do-things-the-nfl-has-never-seen
 
Daily Dawg Chow 12/17; Myles Garrett closing in on sack record, history

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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 08: Quarterback Shedeur Sanders #12 of the Cleveland Browns reacts at the line of scrimmage in the first half during the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on August 08, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...ett-closing-in-on-sack-record-history-shedeur
 
Browns, Bills Week 16 injury report: 13 do not practice Wednesday

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The Cleveland Browns have been struggling with injuries, both on and off the field, amid the outside noise. Hosting the talented Buffalo Bills, with their creative and difficult pass defense, is not what the doctor ordered in advance of Christmas in Week 16.

The first injury report of the week is loaded with players sitting out, a majority on the home team’s side.

Browns Injury Report​

  • Brenden Bates – Ankle – Limited
  • Joel Bitonio – Knee – DNP
  • Jack Conklin – Concussion – DNP
  • Grant Delpit – Groin – Limited
  • Myles Garrett – Not Injury Related/Rest – DNP
  • Mason Graham – Rib – Limited
  • Mike Hall Jr. – Illness – DNP
  • Adin Huntington – Quad – Limited
  • Teven Jenkins – Shoulder – DNP
  • Sam Kamara – Elbow – Limited
  • David Njoku – Knee – DNP
  • Winston Reid – Back – DNP
  • Dylan Sampson – Hand – DNP
  • Carson Schwesinger – Ankle – Limited
  • Wyatt Teller – Calf – Limited
  • Denzel Ward – Calf – DNP
  • Deshaun Watson – Achilles – Limited
  • Zak Zinter – Back – Limited

Bills Injury Report​

  • Christian Benford – Toe – Limited
  • Terrel Bernard – Elbow – Limited
  • Dion Dawkins – Illness – DNP
  • Mecole Hardman – Calf – Limited
  • Taron Johnson – Quad – Full
  • DaQuan Jones – Calf – Full
  • Dalton Kincaid – Knee – DNP
  • Jordan Phillips – Ankle – DNP
  • Matt Prater – Right Quad – DNP
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...6-injury-report-myles-garrett-dalton-kindcaid
 
Daily Dawg Chow 12/18; Browns legend Bernie Kosar home from hospital

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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 08: Quarterback Shedeur Sanders #12 of the Cleveland Browns reacts at the line of scrimmage in the first half during the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on August 08, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...egend-bernie-kosar-home-from-hospital-shedeur
 
Browns, Bills Week 16 injury report: CLE gets vets back; BUF vets still out, add 3 to list

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Who knows what the future holds for the Cleveland Browns, especially for HC Kevin Stefanski. The immediate future has the Buffalo Bills coming to town looking to build their playoff resume, while Browns fans hope for 2026 NFL draft positioning and another chance for QB Shedeur Sanders to prove something.

The first injury report of the week was loaded with players sitting out, a majority on the home team’s side. Thursday’s report saw a few changes for Cleveland (in bold below):

Browns Injury Report​

  • Brenden Bates – Ankle – Limited
  • Joel Bitonio – Knee – DNP to Limited
  • Jack Conklin – Concussion – DNP
  • Grant Delpit – Groin – Limited
  • Myles Garrett – Not Injury Related/Rest – DNP to Full
  • Mason Graham – Rib – Limited
  • Mike Hall Jr. – Illness – DNP
  • Adin Huntington – Quad – Limited
  • Teven Jenkins – Shoulder – DNP to Limited
  • Sam Kamara – Elbow – Limited
  • David Njoku – Knee – DNP
  • Winston Reid – Back – DNP
  • Dylan Sampson – Hand – DNP
  • Carson Schwesinger – Ankle – Limited
  • Wyatt Teller – Calf – Limited
  • Denzel Ward – Calf – DNP
  • Deshaun Watson – Achilles – Limited
  • Zak Zinter – Back – Limited

Bills Injury Report​

  • Christian Benford – Toe – Limited
  • Terrel Bernard – Elbow – Limited to Full
  • Dion Dawkins – Illness – DNP
  • Mecole Hardman – Calf – Limited to Full
  • Taron Johnson – Quad – Full to Limited
  • DaQuan Jones – Calf – Full to Limited
  • Dalton Kincaid – Knee – DNP
  • Jordan Phillips – Ankle – DNP
  • Matt Prater – Right Quad – DNP
  • Mitch Wishnowsky – Right knee – Limited
  • Cam Lewis – Hamstring – Limited
  • Chase Lundt – Knee – Limited

Interesting to see two players get worse on Thursday, with three others added to the list. Prater and Wishnowsky both having leg injuries could make things interesting for Buffalo’s special teams on Sunday.
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...ts-vets-back-buf-vets-still-out-add-3-to-list
 
Browns line, QB play dramatically hurting RB Quinshon Judkins’ performance

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The highly touted Cleveland Browns 2025 NFL draft class has had only two standouts on the offensive side of the ball, with hope coming from RB Dylan Sampson. There is still a chance that QB Shedeur Sanders could help put the class over the top, but the inconsistency means the team is more likely to draft a quarterback at the top of the 2026 NFL draft than to roll with him moving forward.

While TE Harold Fannin Jr. has only increased his production as the season has gone on, RB Quinshon Judkins has been the victim of bad offensive line play and the lack of concern defenses have for the Browns passing attack. His raw numbers (805 yards, 7 TDs) are good for a rookie, but his yards per attempt average is down to 3.6 and his game logs show a problematic trend:

  • Week 6: 12 carries, 36 yards
  • Week 8: 9 carries, 19 yards
  • Week 11: 17 carries, 59 yards
  • Week 12: 16 carries, 47 yards (the lone victory in this group of games)
  • Week 14: 14 carries, 26 yards
  • Week 15: 12 carries, 21 yards

The three weeks skipped in those game logs combine for 70 carries and 250 yards, still a 3.5 yards per carry average.

You gotta feel for Judkins, who is getting hit constantly behind the line of scrimmage. In the last 5 games, 37 of his 82 carries have gone for 2 yards or less with a staggering 12 negative-yard carries. https://t.co/uGcSSrQWoA

— Anthony Lima (@SportsBoyTony) December 17, 2025
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The advanced data is even more staggering:

Browns Run Game Analysis

Quinshon Judkins
EPA: -34.43 (37th of 39)
EPA/ATT: -0.155 (35th)
DVOA: -3.6% (29th)
Yards before contact: 1.5 yards (28th)
Yards after contact: 2.1 yards (29th)
Forced Missed Tackle Rate: 20.7% (21st)
Explosive Play Rate: 8.1% (33rd)
Stuff Rate: 22.5%… pic.twitter.com/Wsh2gDKiV6

— Dan Mitchell (@realdanmitchell) December 17, 2025
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At one point, Judkins was squarely in the conversation for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Now, he’s been passed by Fannin and former Ohio State Buckeyes teammate TreVeyon Henderson in the award’s odds. Seventh-round pick RB Kyle Monangai has the same odds as Judkins.

One of the best parts of football is how 11 guys work together and impact each other. It is also why evaluating individual players sometimes is really difficult and nuanced. Is Judkins on track to be the next Nick Chubb? Maybe, but the play of those around him on offense makes it very difficult to know for sure.

Browns fans have been arguing about whether the team should draft a quarterback or focus on building around him on the offensive line and receiver groups. For Judkins’ sake, hopefully the answer is all of the above, or Sanders turns out to be great in the last three games of the season.


Are you surprised by the numbers above? How do you evaluate Judkins’ performances given the struggles around him?

Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...wns-line-qb-play-quinshon-judkins-performance
 
Philip Rivers’ return: Which recently retired player from Browns history could help the team?

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The recent return of Phillip Rivers to the Indianapolis Colts prompts consideration of which players might be pulled out of retirement to help other teams in the league. Given the dysfunction that the Cleveland Browns have had over the years, there aren’t many great players who have spent a large portion of their career dominating in Cleveland. Even with that, there are still a few players who have retired in the last few years who could maybe help out this struggling roster.

Wide receiver Amari Cooper spent just over two seasons with the Browns after Andrew Berry made a trade to bring him over in 2022. Cooper had two seasons with over 1,000 yards receiving and was a real focal point of the Cleveland offense. He announced his retirement from football in September 2025, but at just 31 years old, it’s easy to wonder if Cooper could help contribute to this Browns roster. The Cleveland offense has struggled to find any consistency in its wide receiver group this year, and even with Cooper’s decline, he would certainly be a better option than several guys on the current roster.

Another previous Browns receiver who had some success during his time in Cleveland is Rashard Higgins. His career really took off due to his connection at the time with Baker Mayfield, and fans were endeared by his love for the Browns. Though a lesser talent than Amari Cooper, a 31-year-old Higgins could bring a spark to the Cleveland offense and an appreciation for the city that is so desperately missing from this current group.

Christian Kirksey also signed a one-day contract to retire as a Brown last year and Za’Darius Smith quickly after signing with the Philadelphia Eagles this year as well, but Cleveland’s defense doesn’t have the same need as the other side of the ball.

Let me know what you think in the comments – What Browns player would you pull out of retirement to help this team?
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Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...y-amari-cooper-rashard-higgins-zadarius-smith
 
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