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[Cleveland Browns]

AFC North schedule release videos range from impressive to silly, cheap and head-scratching

The 2025 NFL schedule release included interesting social media videos from the Browns, Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

One is impressive.

One is cheap.

One is (surprisingly) silly.

One is head-scratching.

When it comes to the AFC North, the fact that it is somewhat easy to fit the above descriptions of schedule release videos to each franchise is annoyingly on brand.

The Baltimore Ravens were impressive.

The Cincinnati Bengals were cheap.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were surprisingly silly.

The Cleveland Browns left us scratching our heads in befuddlement.

The “Super Bowl for Social Media teams” had a lot of interesting results this year, with fewer home runs than in the past. The Browns 2025 schedule lacks a prime-time game and has a consistency with almost all games kicking off at 1 PM on Sundays.

The video put out by Cleveland’s social media team was as simple as the schedule. It also lacked any negativity or put-downs of other teams. Given the Browns struggle on the field last year, the second part made sense even if the video itself lacked in production and length:

It's time.

2025 Schedule Release pic.twitter.com/EKyCNlCk3Q

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) May 15, 2025​

The Ravens tapped into the hit TV Series “Severance” for their social media schedule release. Likely confusing for those who haven’t seen the show (raises hand), it is impressive in its details:

The schedule is mysterious and important.@SeatGeek | @AppleTV pic.twitter.com/TqjgdrNxEd

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 15, 2025​

The Bengals were noticeably cheap with their video (notice how the paper on the chair moves despite supposedly being one continuous shot), including a cheap shot at the Browns quarterback situation:

A short film.#WhoDey

️: https://t.co/KeJFObdbEs pic.twitter.com/prECg9dp7q

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 15, 2025​

The Sasquatch hunt for the Steelers was not on brand for the organization, but we have to enjoy a little bit that Ohio State legend and SB Nation teammate Cam Hayward played the part of the Bigfoot:

BIG FOOTball announcement @laurelhighlands

: Schedule release coverage on NFLN pic.twitter.com/qTXpkpyjEH

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) May 15, 2025​

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What do you think about the AFC North social media videos? Do you like any of them? All of them?

Share your thoughts in the comment section below. If you’ve never joined the conversation, you can sign up for an account here and come back to talk social media schedule release and so much more down below

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...videos-impressive-silly-cheap-head-scratching

 

[Cleveland Browns]

A deeper look at the Browns schedule causes an underlying, underdiscussed concern

Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The schedule makers did the Browns no favors when you put it under the microscope.

As the Cleveland Browns are set to embark on a full QB competition, they now know who they’ll be playing to start the year. The NFL has released the schedule for the league’s 17-week, 2025 season and there are challenges for the team.

The first four games are absolutely brutal for the Browns as they look to establish a winning culture.

The NFL schedule makers have trended toward prioritizing ratings over fairness in recent years. As more primetime games go to the highest bidding streaming services, the league has accepted the trade-off.

For Cleveland, the expectations aren’t so high this year, and as a result will have zero primetime games. It’s typically these games that put teams in a bind on the future schedule.

Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis has done solid work over the past few years in analyzing data that he calls rest edge. Last year, the Ravens had the biggest advantage in the league with +19, while the 49ers had the biggest disadvantage with -21 across the entirety of the schedule.

Rest edge has become a very real thing to take into consideration across the league. It’s become more common for teams to play three games in ten days or even four games over a seventeen-day span.

What is a rest edge?

A rest edge in the NFL is the number of extra or fewer days a team has to rest and get ready for their game with their opponent.

An example of rest edge: if the Baltimore Ravens have a full 7-day bye week ahead of their game vs the Browns, and the Browns play on Monday Night Football, on a short week, the Ravens have a rest advantage of +8 days prior to their game vs the Browns. Conversely, the Browns would have a rest deficit of -8 days.

Let’s see how the schedule lines up for the Browns in regard to this season. The Browns have a total of five games where a team has an edge, but also two games that should be factored in.

Week 3- Green Bay (+3) @ Cleveland (-3)​

The Packers will play on Thursday night in Week 2, giving them three extra days of rest and preparation.

Week 4- Cleveland (+1) @ Detroit (-1)​

The Lions will be playing on a short week after playing on Monday Night Football in Week 3.

Week 5- Minnesota @ Cleveland (London)​

While both teams technically have the same amount of time, the international trip puts the Browns at a disadvantage because Minnesota will be playing in Europe in back-to-back weeks. The only other two times this scenario has happened have led to two blowout wins for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Week 6- Cleveland (-7) @ Pittsburgh (+7)​

Not only do the Browns have to make the return trip, but the Steelers will be fresh off a bye from their game in Ireland in Week 4.

Week 10- Cleveland @ New York Jets​

Surely, the Browns should have an advantage here, coming off a bye, right? Nope, because the Jets were also given a bye in Week 9. Many teams gain a strong advantage from their bye week, but the schedule makers just took that from both teams in this case.

Week 12- Cleveland (+1) @ Las Vegas (-1)​

The Browns will catch the Raiders on a short week after they played on Monday night.

Week 13- San Francisco (-1) @ Cleveland (+1)​

Again, the Browns have a slight edge over the 49ers, who played on MNF.

For the season, the Browns end up with a (-7) for rest edge, which puts them at a deficit overall. I haven’t had the time to examine all teams this year, but that number would have put Cleveland in the bottom third of the league based on last year’s calculations.

This, combined with the tough start to the year, will make this season a difficult one. Time will tell if the Browns can overcome this by getting better-than-expected play from one of their QBs.

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What do you think about this deep dive into the schedule? Does it bring more concern than you already had? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...rowns-schedule-release-2025-rest-deficit-edge

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns: Veteran LB named team’s most underrated player for 2025

Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images

PFF taps Jordan Hicks as a player who deserves more attention for what he brings to the field.

The Cleveland Browns are in a bit of a transition phase at the linebacker position heading into 2025.

While it was not a surprise, the news earlier this week that linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was being placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list was still disappointing. Owusu-Koramoah has been dealing with a neck injury since the middle part of last season and will now miss the entirety of the 2025 season.

The club is also dealing with an off-field incident involving Devin Bush after the veteran linebacker was arrested on May 4 in Pennsylvania on simple assault and harassment charges. Things have been quiet since that news broke as the Browns are “gathering more information.”

Cleveland did address the position in the draft by selecting Carson Schwesinger from UCLA, who would have made a nice pairing with JOK but can still fill in some of the gap, especially against the run.

The most UNDERRATED player for every team entering the season https://t.co/JvCCbQW4XZ

— PFF (@PFF) May 14, 2025​

But there is one player that everyone may be overlooking, and that is 10-year veteran Jordan Hicks, who Pro Football Focus tapped as Cleveland’s most underrated player heading into the 2025 season:

Year 10 in the NFL resulted in a top-10 PFF overall grade at the position for Hicks (77.4) and the best mark of his career since 2018. He started the year having ceded snaps to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah as the team’s top linebacker, but after Koramoah’s injury, Hicks regained the role and finished the year as one of just eight linebackers to earn a top-25 PFF grade in run defense (77.7) and coverage (70.0), proving there’s still plenty left in the tank for the near-33-year-old linebacker heading in 2025.

The Browns signed Hicks as a free agent prior to the 2024 season. In his first year with the team, he made 12 starts and finished with 78 tackles, four tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, and two sacks.

Hicks also brings some much-needed experience to the linebacker room, which is currently filled with Mohamoud Diabate, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Winston Reid, and Nathanial Watson, all players who are still early into their NFL careers and can use the guidance from someone like Hicks, who has played in 134 career games and was a member of the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles team that won the Super Bowl.

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Be sure to check out Dawg By Nature’s 2025 schedule breakdown for the Browns, which includes details on each game and more.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...n-hicks-named-most-underrated-player-for-2025

 

[Cleveland Browns]

What Browns Shedeur Sanders, Baker Mayfield have in common: Former GM makes bold statement

Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Scot McCloughan helped lead the charge on drafting Baker Mayfield, has high praise for Shedeur Sanders.

As the Cleveland Browns prepare for a difficult schedule, the biggest storyline of 2025 will be the quarterback competition. A former GM weighed in on one of the rookies that Cleveland drafted at the position with a bold prediction.

Scot McCloughan, the former general manager of Washington and San Francisco, appeared on The Pacman Jones Show and was asked about his evaluation of Shedeur Sanders.

McCloughan said he gave Sanders a first-round grade and followed it up with an emphatic endorsement by saying:

I think he’ll be the best quarterback out of this draft. When it’s all said and done, when his career is said and done, he’ll be the best QB out of this draft.

Former NFL GM Scot McCloughan

McCloughan is a well-respected evaluator with over two decades of experience in scouting and personnel management. If the name sounds familiar to you, it should.

He was hired by the Browns as a consultant and worked very closely with former GM John Dorsey on the 2018 draft class. He was instrumental in leading the team to select Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in that draft.

McCloughan compared the former Browns’ QB to Brett Favre at the time, and when Mayfield flamed out in Cleveland, he was on record stating that other teams should pursue him while accurately predicting that he would revive his career. During an interview in 2022 with Tyler Dunne for his Substack, titled Go Long, the former GM said:

“He ain’t gonna back down. He ain’t gonna quit. He ain’t gonna shy away. All of these naysayers now? Wait and see them in two or three years if he can stay healthy. They’ll all be back on the bandwagon — ‘Oh, what a great story. Comeback Player of the Year.’ All that s**t. Where were you two or three years ago when you questioned if he’d be the starter in 2022? Of course, he’s the starter. Who else are you going to get that’s better? It’s ridiculous.”

These comments were made when Mayfield was still a member of the Browns and before Cleveland pursued Deshaun Watson. Ultimately, he was correct with Mayfield throwing 40 touchdown passes three years later in Tampa Bay.

McCloughan also played a pivotal role in the Seattle Seahawks front office that selected Russell Wilson in the 2012 draft. He believes Sanders is experiencing the same kind of criticism that Wilson did post draft, as both were questioned despite their elite production in college.

McCloughan spoke about witnessing Sanders up close on the Colorado sideline and recalled an interaction between Sanders and Travis Hunter that demonstrated his leadership. The quarterback had thrown an errant pass intended for Hunter, and the frustrated receiver threw his hands in the air after to demonstrate his disappointment.

According to McCloughan, Sanders didn’t let it slide and got in the star receiver’s face and told him to never do that again. Sanders yelled, “If I miss a throw, then I miss a throw.”

He also mentioned the way that Sanders would “run the show” by taking command between series by gathering the offensive line and skill players. “Shedeur has enough toughness and competiveness to earn his teammates’ respect,” he said.

McCloughan works independently today, with no affiliation to a team or media — he’s a football lifer, and his personal struggles have been well documented. Despite those, when he gives a glowing assessment of Sanders, it’s worth paying attention to.

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What do you think of his evaluation of Shedeur Sanders? Does his record on Baker Mayfield give you more confidence in the Browns’ rookie QB? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...-sanders-baker-mayfield-draft-scot-mccloughan

 

[Cleveland Browns]

AFC North: Only the Ravens are drama free and ready for the season

Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Browns and Steelers seem set to compete for the basement but only the Ravens seem to be ready for season

The AFC North is one of, if not the, hardest divisions in the NFL. It is not an excuse for the Cleveland Browns struggles to actually get over the hump to becoming a consistently good team but it doesn't make it any easier.

Browns fans, in general, understand their team pretty well. For many, expectations are very low for the 2025 season, matching how the NFL schedule makers set up Cleveland’s contests. There is a little bit of excitement about the two rookie quarterbacks and pending excitement about how the Browns could use their two first-round picks in 2026, but other than a big surprise, many Cleveland fans will be betting the under on their team’s already low win total.

They aren’t the only AFC North team with concerns, however.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a pending holdout, which could impact their Week 1 matchup and betting line with the Browns. DE Trey Hendrickson made it clear he is not playing under his current contract. Speaking during a Bengals offseason practice, Hendrickson revealed some concerns about how the organization has treated the contract negotiations.

Cincinnati’s defense was bad last year despite Henderickson leading the league with 17.5 sacks. Imagine how bad that unit could be if the veteran sticks to his guns early in the season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, the model of a good team that has struggled to be great recently, could be teetering on the edge of Mike Tomlin’s first losing season. Their savior? Seems to be QB Aaron Rodgers.

The same Rodgers who seemed to want to sign with the Minnesota Vikings, has talked about retirement and is still unsigned in the middle of May. Oh yeah, and Rodgers will turn 42 during the season, had a major injury two years ago during his age-40 season, hasn’t always gotten along great with teammates and would be entering the Steelers offseason late to very late if he does sign.

Then again, Pittsburgh could rely on QBs Mason Rudolph and sixth-rounder Will Howard to keep them afloat.

Not exactly building confidence in the Steel City that they are upgrading from last year’s Russell Wilson and Justin Fields experience.

Then you have the Baltimore Ravens, who have none of the drama of the Bengals and all of the certainty that the Steelers are lacking. Comparing the former Browns (Ravens) to the current Browns would be beyond silly at this point in the offseason.

With just under four months to go until the 2025 regular season starts, Baltimore seems to have everything ready to go, while Cleveland looks for an identity and signs of hope, Cincinnati tries to find the money for their best (only above average?) defender and Pittsburgh hopes an aging Rodgers can help them out whenever he decides to (come out of his hobbit hole again?).

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Are you surprised that the Ravens are the only AFC North team that is drama-free and ready to start the 2025 season at this point? As of the middle of May, how would you predict the AFC North is going to finish?

Share your thoughts in the comment section below

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...drickson-steelers-aaron-rodgers-browns-ravens

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Can the Browns build a decent WR room with UDFAs?

Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

There should be opportunities during training camp for this quartet of wide receivers.

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry took a hands-off approach to the wide receiver position during the 2025 NFL Draft.

On the one hand, that is understandable. The Browns have Jerry Jeudy coming off the first 1,000-yard receiving season of his NFL career. Cedric Tillman also put together a nice string of games in 2024 before missing the final six games with a concussion. And free agency brought Diontae Johnson, a solid receiver but also one who struggled last season.

On the other hand, the club does need some better depth than what they had in 2024, which featured Michael Woods II, David Bell, Jamari Thrash, James Proche, and Jaelon Darden at various points.

Berry was active following the draft by signing several undrafted wide receivers who will be looking to grab one (or possibly more) roster spots this summer.

Let’s run through the candidates to keep an eye on during training camp and the preseason.

Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Gage Larvadain, South Carolina​

The 5-foot-9 and 180-pound Larvadain started his college career with two seasons at Southeastern Louisiana before transferring to Miami (Ohio) for two seasons, then closing things out with one season at South Carolina.

Larvadain had a down year with the Gamecocks, finishing with just 19 receptions for 223 yards and a touchdown. But that may not be a true indication of his skills, as PFF points out in naming Larvardain as a UDFA to watch on the Browns:

Larvadain flashed at three schools in his college career — Southeastern Louisiana, Miami (OH), and, most recently, South Carolina. His 2024 campaign with the Gamecocks yielded only a 58.6 PFF receiving grade and 223 receiving yards, but in his previous three seasons, he combined for 135 catches, 1,904 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns while improving his PFF receiving grade each year, topping out at 79.6 in 2023.

All told, Larvadain finished his college career with 157 receptions for 2,154 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Luke Floriea, Kent State​

The 5-foot-10 and 168-pound Floriea is coming off a 2024 season where he set highs in receptions (44), yards (699), and touchdowns (7) while posting three 100-yard receiving games.

Floriea spent five seasons in total with the Golden Flashes, playing in 48 games. He finished his collegiate career with 100 receptions for 1,321 yards, 12 touchdowns, and averaged 13.2 yards per catch. He earned All-MAC Third Team honors in his senior season.

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Cade McDonald, Miami, Ohio​

The 5-foot-11 and 195-pound McDonald posted career highs in receptions (52), receiving yards (631), and touchdowns (3) while averaging 12.1 yards per catch for the RedHawks in 2024. He started his collegiate career as a walk-on at Michigan State and played in 45 games between Michigan State and Miami, finishing his collegiate career with 85 receptions for 1,032 yards, six touchdowns, and averaging 12.1 yards per catch.

McDonald also excelled as a punt returner, earning a second-team All-MAC selection his first year with Miami.

Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Kisean Johnson, Western Kentucky​

The 6-foot-1 and 216-pound Johnson started his career at Alabama State before transferring to Western Kentucky for the 2024 season.

Johnson finished last season with 75 receptions for 925 yards and seven touchdowns, which were all team highs for the Hilltoppers. He played in 47 games between Alabama State and Western Kentucky, finishing his collegiate career with 179 receptions for 2,412 yards, 18 touchdowns, and averaged 13.5 yards per catch.

Expecting four undrafted players to make the roster at one position is a tall ask. But with the state of the current group behind Jeudy and Tillman, there should be opportunities for one or more of these four players to show the Browns what they can do and make the roster decisions as hard as possible.

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What do you think, Browns fans? Do any of these wide receivers excite you?

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...an-the-team-build-a-decent-wr-room-with-udfas

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns games: Best seat in the house in Cleveland

Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Browns fans are the best fans but where is the best place to sit?

We truly believe that fans of the Cleveland Browns are the best in all of American sports. Adding the “American” part is out of respect for some of the international fan bases that seem similarly devoted. Perhaps we will see some overlap when the Browns face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season.

With the NFL’s schedule release complete, including some interesting social media videos from all the AFC North teams, we now know when visitors will come to Cleveland and face the Dawg Pound fans (Primers for each team include that team’s offseason changes, history of the matchup and move):

• Week 1 - Bengals - Primer
• Week 3 - Packers - Primer
• Week 7 - Dolphins - Primer
• Week 11 - Ravens - Primer
• Week 13 - Niners - Primer
• Week 14 - Titans - Primer
• Week 16 - Bills - Primer
• Week 17 - Steelers - Primer

While few expect the Browns to be highly competitive in 2025, the question for today is, what is the best seat in Huntington Bank Field?

Are you the kind of fan who needs to be in the Dawg Pound? Does the 50-yard line (on either side of the field) call your name? Is one of the corner options, middle of the way up, so you can see more of the game, the more interesting spot?

Share your thoughts with us below in the comment section, where in a stadium, including the one in Cleveland, do you think is the best seat in the house?

If you’ve never signed up for an account to join the conversation in the comment section below, you can do so here, then come back and chat

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...games-best-seat-in-stadium-house-in-cleveland

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns rookies: One “surprise” who could exceed expectations

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Drafted after Quinshon Judkins, why Dylan Sampson could be the surprise from the Browns NFL draft class

Much will be made about the Cleveland Browns and their quarterback room. The attention is deserved, even if the Browns didn’t select Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round. Selecting Sanders after nabbing Dillon Gabriel in the third round adds to the interest and attention in an offseason where Kenny Pickett was added in a trade and aged veteran Joe Flacco re-signed after a year away from the team.

Despite all that attention, it is Cleveland’s running backs that could carry the load despite the (most likely) departure of Nick Chubb.

After Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson were drafted, Jerome Ford adjusted his contract to stick around. For their part, Judkins and Sampson could attempt to recreate the Kevin Mack/Earnest Byner dynamic, with Isaiah Crowell/Duke Johnson also being an appropriate comparison.

Judkins is well-known after helping The Ohio State Buckeyes win the national championship last year, but Sampson is a dynamic player who shouldn’t be overlooked. The 2024 SEC Offensive Player of the Year could exceed expectations, according to Pro Football Network:

Dylan Sampson enters the NFL with a rare blend of vision, burst, and discipline that makes him a strong candidate to contribute early. Despite being a one-year starter at Tennessee, Sampson shattered school records and emerged as one of the most productive backs in the country during the 2024 season, proving his playmaking ability could hold up against SEC competition.

At 5’11”, 190 pounds, Sampson doesn’t win with size — he wins with instincts and quickness. He’s especially effective in inside zone and gap schemes, both of which align well with Cleveland’s ground attack. While he’ll need to improve his ball security and pass protection, his speed, change of direction, and ability to run through arm tackles make him a potentially game-changing change of pace back alongside Quinshon Judkins.

That Sampson has a “rare blend” but was still available in the fourth round says a lot about how teams value size and how deep of a running back class the 2025 NFL draft had.

In 2025, Ford, Judkins and Sampson will be fighting to find their roles. While it is helpful to have a rotation at the position, running backs like to get into the flow of the game by getting a number of touches. HC Kevin Stefanski will likely need a strong running game to help whoever is at quarterback, but figuring out who gets carries and when will be interesting.

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Do you think Sampson can exceed expectations in 2025? How do you see the running backs being used this season by the Browns?

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...draft-surprise-dylan-sampson-quinshon-judkins

 

[Cleveland Browns]

NFL draft: When we can expect Browns final 4 picks to sign, which will likely be last

Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Browns NFL draft class should get signed in time for training camp but one deal might linger

The Cleveland Browns have a solid seven-man NFL draft class going into the 2025 season. Browns GM Andrew Berry entered this year’s selection process with a load of picks in the sixth and seventh rounds but ended up not selecting anyone after picking QB Shedeur Sanders in the fifth.

So far, Berry has locked up three of the team’s seven selections to contracts:

• LB Carson Schwesinger and RB Dylan Sampson signed during rookie minicamp
• TE Harold Fannin Jr. inked his deal a week later

With just four picks left to sign, it will be interesting to see which one signs last as all could have a case for having their agents focus on the details (guaranteed, offset language) of the deal:

• DT Mason Graham was the team’s top selection and will likely wait until DE Abdul Carter signs his contract before getting his done
• RB Quinshon Judkins was selected just a couple of picks after Schwesinger, but guaranteed deals in Houston and Cleveland for second-rounders could cause a delay with others near the top of that round
• QB Dillon Gabriel may be concerned about what happens with the second quarterback Cleveland selected in terms of guaranteed and offset language
• QB Shedeur Sanders is just an entity of his own in a lot of ways, including not having an official agent representing him

Based on history (even before the Texans fully guaranteed the first second-round contract), it is Judkins that could take the longest to sign:

A look at when draft picks have signed their rookie contracts in the past based on draft slot. Dark patches (players who signed later) appear in the second round over the last few seasons, showing agents & teams negotiating for additional guarantees.

Data: The Football Database pic.twitter.com/y5xm8rIdSU

— Anthony Reinhard (@reinhardNFL) May 17, 2025​

Given the limits around rookie contracts, the Browns should have no problem getting these deals done, but there is a chance Judkins’ representatives hold out as long as possible to see if they can also get their client a guaranteed deal.

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Do you think it matters when rookies get their deals done? Given the history, any concern that Judkins could hold out in training camp?

As always, we have a comment section below if you want to join the conversation

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...nal-4-picks-to-sign-which-will-likely-be-last

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns 2025 season: What’s the point?

Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Where winning and developing Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and the rest of the young guys intersect for Browns

We now know the Cleveland Browns 2025 NFL schedule. Our coverage includes a primer for all 14 teams the Browns will face this season, with all of the changes made to the roster, history of the matchup, and big changes for each team. What we do not know is what the point of the season is for the franchise.

We know the schedule starts tough, and a look at Cleveland’s 90-man roster, including wide-ranging grades, says that the Browns may not win a lot of games. Many readers will quickly note that “winning is all that matters,” but the nuance behind that statement, especially for the 2025 season in Cleveland, is vital.

Is the point of the season to win games?​

Yes, of course. The Browns will do everything in their power to win games in 2025, but that doesn’t mean it is the only objective. HC Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry are charged with doing what is best for the franchise, not just what is best for 2025. If QB Joe Flacco or QB Kenny Pickett give the team the best chance to win this season, but if it is marginal, one of QB Dillon Gabriel or QB Shedeur Sanders getting a chance to develop will probably get the starting nod.

If Stefanski and Berry believe they are on the hot seat, something we have pushed back against, they may feel pressure to focus on this season instead of what is best for the team. Neither should accept losing but, especially given the difficult start to the year, developing the young players on the roster has to be a priority.

Is it all about developing Gabriel and Sanders?​

No, of course not.

Nothing is certain about the Browns two rookie quarterbacks, including whether either will be considered part of the team’s future after this season. A late third-round pick and a fifth-round selection are not certain for much more than likely to make a roster the first two or three years of their career.

If either/both Gabriel and Sanders show signs that they can be franchise quarterbacks, Cleveland will have two picks in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft to surround them with talent. If neither shows the upside as rookies (even if it is only in practice), the Browns will likely move forward with drafting a quarterback as high as possible in next year’s draft.

So, what is the point of the 2025 season?​

Simple: Recreate the foundation.

The last couple of seasons have been drug down by the decision to trade for QB Deshaun Watson and attempting to make things work around him. That decision tore through a team that, despite limitations, had created a foundation under Berry and Stefanski in the first couple of seasons in Cleveland.

Stefanski’s offense needs some modernization, but kicking everything to the curb to try to make Watson comfortable just wasn’t good for the team. It was like asking a world-renowned steakhouse chef to run a vegetarian restaurant. Both are good styles of food but fit is vital.

The Browns need to create a foundation of hard work, attitude, effort, and “this is what it means to play here” that is seen with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills, the Kansas City Chiefs, and others at the top of the AFC. Establishing a culture of what it looks like to wear the orange and brown (and all-white sometimes) is key.

That can be established while winning is the focus. That can be established while developing the two rookie quarterbacks. That can be established through honoring the veterans on the team with hard work and preparation. That can be established through giving the younger players a chance to shine.

Just establish it.

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What do you think the point of the 2025 season is for the Browns?

Share your thoughts in our comment section below. If you have never signed up for an account, you can do so here. Then come back and share your thoughts with the rest of the DBN community

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...briel-joe-flacco-kevin-stefanski-andrew-berry

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns sign rookie QB, 4 of 7 draft picks on board

Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cleveland inks quarterback Shedeur Sanders to his rookie contract

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry is slowly working his way through the team’s seven-man draft class.

After previously signing third-round tight end Harold Fannin Jr., second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger, and fourth-round running back Dylan Sampson, Berry got done to business by signing quarterback Schedeur Sanders on Monday afternoon.

Related: What Browns Shedeur Sanders, Baker Mayfield have in common: Former GM makes bold statement

It is reportedly a four-year, $4.6 million deal for Sanders with a signing bonus of $447,380. Perhaps not the kind of money Sanders was expecting if he had been selected in the first round instead of the fifth round, but still not a bad way to start off the week.

Pen to paper ️

We've signed QB Shedeur Sanders

» https://t.co/BmeN8tau5q pic.twitter.com/V05Zvw2osC

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) May 19, 2025​

Sanders will be part of an interesting quarterback competition during training camp and the preseason this summer. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski will work to find reps for Sanders and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, while also getting veterans Joe Flacco (who already knows the offense) and Kenny Pickett ready, as one of them will likely be the Week 1 starter.

Shedeur Sanders’ four-year, $4.6 million deal includes a $447,380 signing bonus. https://t.co/HUcnp7L496

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 19, 2025​

Sanders spent two seasons as the starting quarterback for Colorado, throwing for 7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and completing 71.8 percent of his passes.

With Sanders now on board, that leaves just Gabriel, defensive tackle Mason Graham, and running back Quinshon Judkins as the only draft picks still unsigned.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/5/19/24433396/cleveland-browns-sign-shedeur-sanders

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Projecting Browns passing attempts, WR targets based on Kevin Stefanski’s history

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

With Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, the Browns passing offense has questions

While we often hear “past performance is not indicative of future results,” it is often the only information we can go on. Whether it is an NFL Insider predicting which quarterback will be the “odd man out” in the Cleveland Browns competition, projecting the upside of the Browns offense with each of those quarterbacks or just predicting how the schedule, and each opponents offseasons, could impact the results of a season, past performance is what we have to base things on.

For Cleveland’s offense, reverting back to HC Kevin Stefanski’s full control this season, we have five years to look back on to predict how many throws/targets will be available this year. Starting with his first season, 2020, through last year, the Browns quarterbacks attempted the following number of passes each season:

• 2020 - 501
• 2021 - 520
• 2022 - 540
• 2023 - 624
• 2024 - 661

The huge jump in the last two seasons coincides with the attempt to make things work around QB Deshaun Watson. While game flow, the score of a game and talent on the roster can help dictate passing attempts on a game-by-game basis, Cleveland is much more likely to return to around 500 pass attempts in 2025.

Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles, who went on to win the Super Bowl, had the fewest passes (448) in the league, followed by the Baltimore Ravens (479), Green Bay Packers (479), and Pittsburgh Steelers (499). Along with the Los Angeles Chargers, next on the list with 510 attempts, the five teams with the fewest passing attempts all made the playoffs.

All five are run-oriented teams, but teams that win games often run the ball more often late in games to secure their victories.

No matter who wins the starting quarterback job, the attempts will be low.

Looking back at Stefanski’s first three years, with less than 550 passes thrown all season, might also help us predict how many targets the pass catchers might get.

In 2020, WR Jarvis Landry led the team with 101 targets with just three other players seeing passes thrown their way more than 50 times (TE Austin Hooper with 70, WR Rashard Higgins with 52 and RB Kareem Hunt with 51).

In 2021, Landry once again led the team in targets, but that number dropped to 87 with Hooper (61), WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (58) and TE David Njoku (53) getting over 50 passes headed in their direction. Hunt led all running backs with 27 targets, with Nick Chubb getting 25 chances in the passing game.

In 2022, with Watson playing in six games and the arrival of Amari Cooper, there were only three pass catchers to top the 50-target mark: Cooper (132), Peoples-Jones (96) and Njoku (80). Hunt jumped back up to 44 targets with TE Harrison Bryant (42), Chubb (37) and WR David Bell (35) not far behind.

Heading into the 2025 season, the 2022 target shares could be close to what we see. Projecting the current group of pass catchers at the top of Cleveland’s depth chart to have the following targets from whoever the Browns quarterback is in 2025:

• Jerry Jeudy - 115
• David Njoku - 90
• Cedric Tillman - 75
• Harold Fannin - 45
• Diontae Johnson - 40
• Dylan Sampson - 40
• Jamari Thrash - 34
• Jerome Ford - 22

Total = 461

That would leave another 60 or so passes for the rest of the skill position players as well as any trickery that Stefanski might have up his sleeve. In 2022, the bottom of the roster received around 40 targets, but this Browns unit might see a little more rotation as the team tries to find the right mix of players.

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Do you think the Browns revert back to the low to mid 500 passing attempts this year? Which of the above projections do you think are too low or too high?

As always, share your thoughts below in the comment section

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...-shedeur-sanders-fantasy-football-jerry-jeudy

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns gain major ally in ongoing stadium saga

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Greater Cleveland Partnership, the region’s ‘leading economic development organization,’ supports the team’s plan to move to a domed stadium in Brook Park.

The Cleveland Browns gained another ally on Tuesday in their ongoing quest to build a domed stadium and entertainment complex in the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park.

That came in the form of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the region’s economic development organization with more than 12,000 members, one that touts itself as the “largest metropolitan chamber of commerce in the nation,” according to its website.

After sitting quietly on the sidelines for months as the Browns went back and forth with city and county leaders, the partnership released a statement on Tuesday putting its support behind the Brook Park project, according to a statement on its website:

“Professional sports are an economic engine, an element of our community’s appeal, and bring consistent spotlight to the region. A new domed stadium development represents a transformative $3.4 Billion investment in our region. The proposed private contribution for the stadium and the mixed-use development are significant and merit support from public partners. We strongly welcome and favor the state funding proposals for sports facilities which combined with local support can enable partnerships comparable to similar projects across the country.

“While a downtown dome is ideal, financial and development constraints have been challenging; the Brook Park option is more practical to move forward. The additional events, and expected growth in live entertainment, are an economic opportunity for the entire region. We also recognize the opportunity to connect this development to the bold “CLEvolution” of the airport and ask all parties to support alignment and infrastructure for these projects.”

With the goal of building a great region on a Great Lake, the Greater Cleveland Partnership supports both world-class stadiums and world-class waterfronts.

Read our full statement: https://t.co/45gVomdYbq#GreaterCLE #AllIn pic.twitter.com/tUZN8g7LIB

— Greater Cleveland Partnership (@GreaterCLE) May 20, 2025​

Publicly supporting the Browns moving approximately 13.5 miles from Huntington Bank Field in downtown Cleveland to a site adjacent to Cleveland Hopkins Airport brought a quick response from Cleveland City Council, which is not very pleased with the GCP, as Council President Blaine Griffin told Cleveland Business Journal:

“The potential relocation of the Browns from our city’s central business district represents more than just the loss of a football team; it threatens the economic vitality of our downtown, the businesses that rely on game-day traffic, and the very fabric of our community. The move pits city against city.”

This is the latest in what has felt like a done deal from the moment the Browns signaled their intention to purchase 176 acres in Brook Park for a domed stadium estimated to cost $2.4 billion and an adjacent entertainment complex with hotels, apartments, and retail and office space.

Since then, the lines have been drawn in the ongoing debate.

On the side in favor of the project are:

• Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam, who are looking for a split of public and private funding for the project.
• NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who last week met with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and other state leaders to express his support.
• The Greater Cleveland Partnership and its leadership team of corporate and entrepreneurial CEOs.
• State officials, for the most part, who are expected to approve $600 million in funding for the project when the state budget is finalized at the end of June. Even if they are still squabbling over where that $600 million will come from.

Continuing to oppose the project are:

• Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, because even though the Browns are just moving down the road, no mayor wants “professional football team leaves the city while you were in charge” on his résumé.
• Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, who has held firm to his stance that the stadium deal is a “risky bet with public dollars.”
• Cleveland City Council and Council President Blaine Griffin, because even though the Browns are just moving down the road, no council president wants “professional football team leaves the city while you were in charge” on his political résumé.
• Local business owners, who believe the Browns do not “appreciate the importance of a strong urban center” that the team brings to downtown.
• The Cleveland Hotel Association, which does not like the idea of a tax hike on hotel beds to help pay for the stadium.

For now, the debate will continue with city and county officials pointing out how much the Browns mean to downtown, and team officials responding that the new project will make the region stronger.

And, in the end, the Browns will kick off the 2029 season in a shiny new dome and everyone will go back to debating who should play quarterback, whether or not the head spits and yells enough to be a true winner, and life as a Browns fan will be what it has been since 1990.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...stadium-support-greater-cleveland-partnership

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns Roster: 4 Breakout candidates for 2025

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Taking a look at four players who could make a bigger impact in 2025

The Cleveland Browns are about a week away from OTAs, and a handful of players stand out as potential contenders for a breakout season in 2025.

DE Isaiah McGuire​

McGuire had a great season in 2024, but it wasn’t for the reasons you might think.

He was brought in to provide the team with another pass-rushing threat opposite Myles Garrett, but ended up being more effective as a run stopper last year. It was difficult for him to bring pressure based on multiple factors, the biggest one being a lack of interior pass rush help.

It’s safe to say that the signing of DT Maliek Collins and the selection of Michigan DT Mason Graham in the 2025 NFL Draft will give the defense a chance to fix that problem.

McGuire “should” have a better opportunity to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks this season.

Isaiah McGuire on the rise #MIAvsCLE on CBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/hV4A3AHsuM

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 29, 2024​

OT Dawand Jones​

Jones is officially the Browns’ plan at left tackle in 2025, and it’s going to be interesting to see how he fares with a full-time workload on the left side after spending his entire football career on the right.

If he keeps his weight under control and adjusts well throughout the summer, he has a real chance to be exactly what Cleveland's needed for a long time now. He has all the tools required to be successful as a left tackle, he just needs to stay healthy and disciplined.

He undoubtedly has the potential to be a Pro Bowl-type pass protector in an improved offensive system in 2025.

Here's another clip of #Browns RT Dawand Jones casually blocking a 6'7", 290 Lb. defensive lineman with one arm. No biggie. #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/xnyqbBzBbH

— Matt Wilson (@CoachWilson66) April 9, 2024​

S Ronnie Hickman​

Hickman has played incredibly well for the Browns when on the field throughout his first two seasons in Cleveland, and as of right now, he looks to be the locked-in starter at free safety despite the team’s recent signing of Damontae Kazee.

Hickman’s been exceptional when patrolling the deep middle of the field and could be in line to play upwards of 60% of defensive snaps in 2025. Not only has he been above-average in coverage, but he also had a PFF run defense grade of 81.7 in 2024, which ranked 16th out of 171 qualifying safeties.

Ronnie Hickman could explode onto the national scene next season with a heavier workload.

Ronnie Hickman had himself a GAME against the Bears.

He was all over the field and consistently put himself in advantageous positions in coverage. I'm interested to see how he performs the rest of the way. The #Browns might have something here.

Excellent effort play on this… pic.twitter.com/UjImIWXyBv

— Matt Wilson (@CoachWilson66) December 18, 2023​

WR Cedric Tillman​

Tillman took a big step forward in year two last season in terms of both route-running and overall confidence.

As long as he’s fully healthy from his scary 2024 concussion, which it sounds like he is, he could be in line for a big year across from Jerry Jeudy. His size, strength, and long frame could give Cleveland a more consistent red zone threat as well as an above-average downfield blocker in the run game.

Tillman could see close to a 70% snap share and be very productive in 2025, especially if Stefanski and Co. utilize a lot of two-tight end sets with David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. at their disposal. This could allow Cleveland’s wide receivers to see more single coverage and advantageous matchups on the boundary.

This catch by #Browns WR Cedric Tillman might be my favorite Cleveland reception of 2024. #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/87Z8tg8ijs

— Matt Wilson (@CoachWilson66) March 21, 2025​

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Who are some of your breakout candidates for 2025? Join fellow Browns fans in the comment section below.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...re-dawand-jones-ronnie-hickman-cedric-tillman

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Former Browns linebacker arrested in human prostitution sting

Set Number: X162963 TK1

Florida authorities began a multi-agency, focused effort

After their football careers are completed, most NFL players find another career, such as selling real estate, coaching, or some sort of construction job.

Beginning on May 2 and lasting through the majority of the month of May, a total of 255 individuals were arrested in relation to a prostitution ring in Southern Florida using multiple agencies. It was the highest number of suspects ever arrested during a single undercover operation with Polk County, Florida.

One such individual was former Cleveland Browns linebacker Adarius Taylor.

The bust was part of a multi-agency crackdown dubbed “Operation Fool Around and Find Out” with the Polk County (FL) Sheriff’s Office, which is located just south of Orlando and due east of Tampa. Legoland Resort is located within its boundaries.

Retired NFL star Adarius Taylor found himself behind bars earlier this month, accused of bringing along his six-year-old child when he went to the location where he planned to meet with a deputy posing as a prostitute. https://t.co/5sDZMHGURr pic.twitter.com/TOircfPFm9

— News 4 San Antonio (@News4SA) May 19, 2025​

According to the police report, 141 people were charged with soliciting prostitutes, 93 parties with offering to commit prostitution, 10 with offenses related to prostitution, such as aiding and abetting or transporting prostitutes, four people were identified as potential human trafficking victims and offered services, while 36 persons were identified as illegal aliens.

In addition, 11 were charged with traveling to meet a minor for sex or other child sex crimes under the agency Operation Child Protector.

Editor’s note: Taylor appears at 22:27

Taylor, age 34, allegedly brought his 6-year-old daughter to the sting site and left the child in his Ford F-150 truck when he went inside. The juvenile was taken into custody by the Florida Department of Children and Families, who then contacted the child’s mother. Taylor’s charges include misdemeanor solicitation of prostitution and felony negligent child abuse without bodily harm.

The arrest report stated that law enforcement was the ones who found his daughter, who was assessed with several medical conditions, stating Taylor did not tell anyone that the child was left alone in his vehicle.

The affidavit against Taylor indicated he responded to an escort advertisement before agreeing to meet with the undercover deputy at the undisclosed location. Prior to the meeting, he had agreed to a price, the deputy reported, adding that she confirmed after his arrival that he was there for sexual purposes.

A three-sport star athlete in high school, Taylor was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft and signed a three-year, $1.53 million contract with a signing bonus of $16,000. After his second training camp, the Panthers cut him on the final cutdown day and then placed him on their practice squad.

He then signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016 and was named the backup MLB. The following season, he broke his tibia and fibula in a collision during a sack. In 2018, Taylor became the starting MIKE linebacker after the starter sustained a broken ankle.

Tampa Bay did not offer a new contract, and he signed with the Browns for the 2019 campaign under new head coach Freddie Kitchens. Taylor competed against Joe Schobert and became his backup, as well as working with special teams. With Cleveland, he played in 15 games with 60 defensive snaps, 312 special teams snaps, zero starts, and had nine total tackles.

The Browns did not attempt to keep his services despite one year left on his contract, and he inked a deal returning to the Panthers where he started two games with the defense and played 63% of special teams snaps before landing on IR after suffering a groin injury.

After being out of football for three years, Taylor signed a one-year deal with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL, where he played in just three games before being released.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...nebacker-arrested-in-human-prostitution-sting

 

[Cleveland Browns]

NFL broadcaster: Browns owe Myles Garrett when making QB decisions

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Joe Flacco vs Shedeur Sanders vs Kenny Pickett vs Dillon Gabriel will be the big Browns story

Long ago, in NFL offseason terms, the Cleveland Browns were put on the spot when DE Myles Garrett demanded a trade. We were steadfast in our information that Garrett would not be traded (although the end result was an extension and not the totally new contract we had stated here on DBN).

During the short time when Garrett could have been on the trade market, it became clear that the former Defensive Player of the Year was not just frustrated about the quarterback position, but that it mattered a lot. Garrett noted the team needed a quarterback they could rely on.

While ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes that one of Cleveland’s veterans (Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett) could be traded, broadcaster Solomon Wilcots believes the Browns owe it to Garrett not to start either of the rookies (Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders):

"I don't know that you could look Myles Garrett in the eye and say we're going to put our best foot forward with a rookie quarterback."@SolomonsWisdom predicts Joe Flacco will be QB1 for Cleveland in Week 1. pic.twitter.com/nlxb5zlUw9

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 21, 2025​

With Garrett locked up to a huge extension, Cleveland’s brass doesn’t need to placate him, but making sure he stays engaged and bought in could be important for the mindset of the team.

In the end, HC Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry have to make the decision they think is best for the Browns, in the short or long term, depending on what they value.

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Do you think Myles Garrett should play a role or be a part of the starting QB decision this year?

Share your thoughts in our comment section below

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...browns-myles-garrett-when-making-qb-decisions

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Stefanski talks Browns offseason on local radio

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Browns head coach went on local radio shows to discuss the team.

The Cleveland Browns are preparing to hit the practice field for three days of OTAs next week. It will be the first time that the local media will witness the rookies on the field with all of the veterans.

The media will only be able to attend one of three practice sessions, but all eyes will be focused on the quarterbacks. We can all expect our timelines to be filled with clips of their throws being dissected to determine an apparent leader.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski went on popular local radio shows to discuss the offseason and the preparations the team is making for the upcoming season. During his appearance on The Ken Carmen Show with Anthony Lima, the Browns’ coach answered questions, including his facial expressions being put under the microscope during the draft.

"You're telling me I have 'resting draft face'?"

@Browns HC Kevin Stefanski w/ @KenCarman and @SportsBoyTony

Listen: https://t.co/0UTJw79ufm pic.twitter.com/DE1FCY0FRT

— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) May 23, 2025​

In addition, he also made comments about the following points of interest:

• Impressions from rookie camp: Stefanski conveyed the importance of the number of players brought in to balance competition while being mindful of player health. He noted that they wanted to see the rookie QBs in 7-on-7 and get a look at the rookie tight end.

• Who has the leg up in the QB competition? Of course, he sidestepped the question, but it was interesting that he noted the team has four QBs and made no mention of a specific injured quarterback that has reemerged after reports of his return to throwing sessions with Browns’ receivers.

• Kenny Pickett: Stefanski had some glowing praise of the QB, who he believes is young and still growing. He described him as athletic and hardworking while also referencing the time they spent with him in the predraft process in 2022.

• Tush Push: He addressed the team’s vote against banning the play by saying, “It’s a Browns’ decision, but those are owners meetings, ultimately it's Jimmy and Dee and their decision on how they vote on those things.” He stated that he gave his opinion to the Haslams and called it an interesting play while giving a ton of credit to the coaches and players of the Philadelphia Eagles.

I found the comment about wanting to get a look at Harold Fannin Jr. particularly interesting. That tight end number two role is one that they may want to shore up by bringing in another player before camp begins.

They wrapped up the interview session by promoting an upcoming event being hosted by his charity, The Keepers Foundation.

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What did you take from the interview? Do you think that his comments mean Pickett is the favorite to earn the starting job? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...in-stefanski-talks-browns-offseason-interview

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Dawgs By Nature Daily Browns trivia game for Saturday

Think you can figure out which Browns player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey, Cleveland Browns fans! We’re back for another day of the Dawgs By Nature in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Dawgs By Nature in-5 game​

If you can’t see the embedded game and you’re using Apple News, click this link.

Previous Games​

Friday, May 23, 2025
Thursday, May 22, 2025
Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Dawgs By Nature in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct Browns player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS this week. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it. The game appears in slot #3 of the DBN layout each day this week and as noted above, will appear in this article exclusively. Additionally, there is a more general version of this at SBNation.com, which features a variety of random players that do not necessarily have Eagles history.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/5/24/24436340/sb-nation-browns-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns draft: Dylan Sampson, Alvin Kamara comparisons have some basis

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Browns double dipped at RB in the NFL draft with Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson

The Cleveland Browns may be moving on from the amazing Nick Chubb, but that doesn’t mean that the running game will go extinct in Cleveland. If you ask most Browns fans, running the football should always be the team’s identity, even if the NFL has become mostly a passing league.

Given projections about HC Kevin Stefanksi’s offense in 2025, Cleveland drafting both Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson makes sense. The pair can be deployed in some interesting ways with the bigger Judkins and the speedier Sampson.

Drafted two rounds later, Sampson has seen Alvin Kamara comparisons due to playing styles and both played at the University of Tennessee. Those comparisons started prior to heading to college, including from Sampson himself:

Coming out of college, Sampson’s lack of size impacted his Relative Athletic Score compared to Kamara, but he also ran faster than the New Orleans Saints star:

Over at Browns Film Breakdown, we see how some clips from Sampson and how his vision and running style make sense as a comparison to Kamara. Despite the timed speed noted above, Sampson doesn’t always pull away like Kamara in the open field:

Browns Film Breakdown is a subscriber-based site through Substrack. Their model allows for some of the material to be free for everyone, but most of the in-depth film room material is for subscribers only. To bring more film content to our DBN community, we will bring segments of material over from BFB and encourage our readers to check out the material on their site and subscribe if interested.

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Do you think the Sampson/Kamara comparison makes sense or just easy to do with both going to Tennessee? What do you expect from the Browns 4th round running back this year?

Share your thoughts in the comment section below

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...t-dylan-sampson-alvin-kamara-quinshon-judkins

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Should the Browns turn back the clock on offense?

The QB position is still unsettled, so could Cleveland take a page from 1985 and build a run-first offense in 2025?

The Cleveland Browns headed into the 1985 season with questions on offense.

After making the ill-fated decision to move on from quarterback Brian Sipe, the offense struggled with Paul McDonald running the show. The Browns averaged just 15.6 points per game, scored 17 or fewer points 10 times, and finished with a 5-11 record.

Related: Dylan Sampson, Alvin Kamara comparisons have some basis

In an attempt to remedy the situation, the Browns brought in veteran quarterback Gary Danielson and paired him with rookie Bernie Kosar. Head coach Marty Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator Joe Pendry then made the crucial decision to install a run-first offense so they did not have to rely too much on the quarterbacks.

There were some rough spots along the way, especially during a four-game losing streak where the Browns only scored a total of 46 points. But in the end, the Browns fielded a pair of 1,000-yard running backs in Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner, and Danielson and Kosar did enough on offense to help the team earn a playoff spot as champions of the AFC Central Division.

Fast forward 40 years, and the Browns find themselves in a similar situation.

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

In the veteran quarterback role is Joe Flacco, with Kenny Pickett waiting in the wings, while the rookie portion is filled by Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland also added running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Flacco (age) and Pickett (mediocrity) both have their limitations, while Gabriel and Sanders are still unproven at the NFL level. And all four of those quarterbacks have played in a different style of offense, which can make it difficult to build a consistent approach when the Browns have the ball.

So, with a pair of rookie running backs and what, if healthy, can be an effective offensive line, should head coach Kevin Stefanski turn back the clock and go with a run-heavy offense this fall to minimize the importance of whichever quarterback is on the field?

That is a path that may be worth considering, according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who last week took a look at the offseason work of each AFC team:

The other way to think about things might be more reasonable for this version of the Browns: build a team in which the quarterback means as little as possible. The best versions of Stefanski’s Cleveland offenses had a great running game with Nick Chubb and a strong offensive line. But with Chubb sidelined and limited the past two seasons by a serious knee injury, and the line battling injuries and inconsistent play, the designed run game ranked 19th in EPA per play over that span.

Adding Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson in April’s draft should give the Browns the most athletic runners they’ve had since pre-injury Chubb. The Browns might want to build their offense by emphasizing the best possible version of their run game, then starting the quarterback who works best off that architecture.

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

That approach may not fit with today’s NFL, at least for a full season, but it might not be a bad way to go to give the quarterback situation more time to work itself out. Turnovers were also a major problem last season, a situation the Browns remedied by moving on from the Jameis Winston experience and the end of the Deshaun Watson era. Those turnovers kept the offense from finding a rhythm and often put the defense in a bad situation.

Focusing on a run-first approach on offense would reduce those turnovers and keep the defense fresh and out of tough spots.

It may be unconventional, but it could be worth considering as the Browns work to rebuild an offense that fell apart in 2024.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2025/...ock-on-offense-quinshon-judkins-dylan-sampson