RSS Browns Team Notes

[Cleveland Browns]

Kevin Stefanski announces the Browns’ quarterback plan against Raiders: Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel?

The Cleveland Browns just had a 23-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, a game that saw the surprising debut of QB Shedeur Sanders in the second half after QB Dillon Gabriel was ruled out with a head injury. The second half didn’t go well for Sanders, who was 4-of-16 for 47 yards and 1 interception. Nonetheless, what happens at quarterback next week against the Las Vegas Raiders? Will Sanders get his first career start?

After the game, head coach Kevin Stefanski revealed the team’s quarterback plan for the Raider game:

Awful: Browns HC Kevin Stefanski says Dillon Gabriel will start next week if he's healthy and passes concussion protocol.

The Shedeur Sanders disrespect continues…pic.twitter.com/qmzOPg7Iq1

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 17, 2025

According to Stefanski, if Gabriel clears the concussion protocol, he will remain the team’s starter against Las Vegas. He later acknowledged that if Gabriel doesn’t clear the protocol, Sanders will start over veteran QB Bailey Zappe, the other quarterback on the roster.

That means we will be playing the waiting game. Some players clear the concussion protocol quickly, while others end up being in it for weeks. Although Sanders’ second half performance was a bit of a buzz kill, we do have to consider the fact that, as Stefanski pointed out after the game, those were the first first-team reps that Sanders has taken all season. Sanders said he looks forward to working with the receivers this week to build some chemistry with them:

“I don’t think I played good. I don’t think I played good at all…”

Looks forward to working with primary WRs this week

“I think it was my first ball thrown to them all year” – Shedeur Sanders #Browns

— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) November 17, 2025

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...gainst-raiders-shedeur-sanders-dillon-gabriel

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns winners, losers for Week 11 loss to Ravens: Offense doesn’t work

The Cleveland Browns could conceivably win the AFC North Division this year before this game began. No, really. Going into this weekend’s game, it would take some help, well, make that a lot of help. But being just three games back in the division makes it realistic with eight games remaining.

It all started with defeating the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore has had lots of problems itself this season. But lately, they have re-found their groove and got back to winning. So, this being a divisional contest means the world to the Browns.

RELATED: BROWNS VS. RAVENS FINAL SCORE

And the Browns actually had the lead over Baltimore going into the fourth quarter, but just could not finish. In the end, the Ravens swept the series with a 23-16 victory.

Several things became very clear after this game: DE Myles Garrett should be the leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, rookie LB Carson Schwesinger should be a lock for Rookie Defensive Player of the Year, QB Shedeur Sanders is not a hybrid Michael Vick/Tom Brady as some projected/assumed, and the oddsmakers should be laying down their over/under for Cleveland to get the top draft choice in next year’s NFL draft.

So who played well for the Browns? Who didn’t?

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BROWNIES​

EDGE Myles Garrett – What a game for our Cleveland elite. With his four sacks, he got some help, but he still got credit for each one. Garrett was also dependable against the run and had several good stops. With his first sack with 5:40 left in the opening period, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson rolled right at the Browns’ 10-yard line, but every option was covered. Meanwhile, LT Ronnie Stanley blocked down, which left RB Derrick Henry one-on-one with Garrett, who slung the talented back aside. Still looking into the end zone for anyone open, Garrett then splattered Jackson, which forced a fourth down.

Myles Garrett’s 12th sack of the season makes NFL history!

He’s the first player to have 6 consecutive seasons with 12+ sacks. Garret surpassed Lawerence Taylor. @fox8news
pic.twitter.com/IptMmgkgq6

— John Sabol (@John_Sabol) November 16, 2025

His second sack was the play before the Devin Bush pick-six, so Baltimore was in a deep hole and needed to start throwing. With 5:50 left before the half, Garrett stuffed Henry on a first-and-goal for a loss. On a second-and-10 with the time winding down, Garrett had beaten Stanley to the outside and as DT Shelby Harris had forced Jackson to move to his left into the waiting arms of Garrett. Early in the second half, facing a third-and-two, again Jackson rolled right as Bush blitzed, who forced Jackson to stop his trajectory, then DT Mason Graham had a shot, but more importantly, made Jackson start to go in the opposite direction as Garrett was standing right there. He set a new NFL record as he became the first player to have six consecutive seasons with 12+ sacks. Finished with five tackles, four sacks, five QB hits, and five tackles for loss.

LB Carson Schwesinger – This kid was everywhere. Look at the hustle and diving effort when TE Mark Andrews took the fourth-and-one attempt to the house to seal the win. On the Ravens’ very first play, Jackson got introduced to Schwesinger to the tune of a one-yard loss.

one does not simply stiff arm @c_schwesinger#BALvsCLE on CBS and NFL+ pic.twitter.com/uItyzHo7dn

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 16, 2025

Four minutes later, Henry received a dump-off pass only for the young linebacker to hit him for a short gain. Midway through the third stanza, Jackson hit Henry on a flare pass, and it was Schwesinger or the end zone, as he was tackled for a 7-yard gain instead. He got the interception on the very next play after Shedeur Sanders threw a pick. Nailed Henry for a one-yard loss at Cleveland’s 26-yard line with 5:52 left in the game and then again with 3:05 remaining. Only Browns’ defender to have double-digit tackles with 11.

K Andre Szmyt – Converted all three field goal attempts: 30, 24, and a 46-yarder into the wind. Was 1-1 on PATs and had excellent kickoff placement. Scored 10 of 16 points.

took it all the way in!#BALvsCLE on CBS and NFL+ pic.twitter.com/xzsyoKrwCW

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 16, 2025

LB Devin Bush – His pick-six was a thing of beauty as he was determined to get into the end zone, which gave Cleveland control of the game until the offense quit scoring points. Stopped RB Keaton Mitchell halfway in the third quarter on a second-and-goal from the three-yard line. Had four tackles.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

FROWNIES​

QB Shedeur Sanders – On his interception with 4:37 left in Quarter 3, the Browns had a third-and-10 on their own 17-yard line, Sanders dropped back as the Ravens ran a stunt. LB Kyle Van Noy looped around and had a clear shot at Sanders, who hurriedly tossed it downfield. He either overthrew WR Malchi Corley or he sent it off-target towards WR Jerry Jeudy.

NATE WIGGINS INTERCEPTION!!!

Tune in on CBS. pic.twitter.com/iY2KH9vWAe

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 16, 2025

Either way, it found CB Nate Wiggins instead at the Browns’ 16-yard line. Earlier, he had a fumble that luckily was recovered by RG Wyatt Teller. When Sanders came into the game, the Browns were leading 16-10. His offensive drives: punt, interception, punt, punt, punt, turnover on downs. With 4:24 left in the third quarter, Sanders threw it right to S Kyle Hamilton who dropped it. He did have a nice scramble on a third-and-three late in the third quarter. But overall, he was 2-7 on third-down conversions. Overthrew a wide-open WR Isaiah Bond with 1:11 left in the game at Baltimore’s 25-yard line. Two more incompletions, and the game was over. Scored zero points. All game long, the Cleveland offense was steady, just not dynamic. When Sanders came under center, the offense just stopped working. Meanwhile, Baltimore’s offense inched its way on the scoreboard.

nice shot down the field to Harold!#BALvsCLE on CBS and NFL+ pic.twitter.com/hNUVg8lOkx

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 17, 2025

His one good ball was to TE Harold Fannin for 25 yards with 2:23 left in the game. Sanders finished going 4-16 for 47 yards, a 2.9-yard average per completion, zero TDs, one pick, one fumble, sacked twice, three rushes for 16 yards, and a QB rating of 13.5. Oh, and zero points scored.

S Ronnie Hickman – On a third-and-four halfway through the third quarter, Hickman played too far off TE Mark Andrews, who made an easy conversion for 10 yards.

59-YARD RUN FOR @KingHenry_2!!! Tune in on CBS. pic.twitter.com/SHufP4GSTm

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 16, 2025

With 1:02 left in the third quarter, Henry took the handoff into the four-gap, to which Hickman came up to meet him and took a bad angle, then had to dive at him high instead. Henry gained 59 yards to Cleveland’s nine-yard line. Two plays later on a third-and-goal, Hickman dropped a pass thrown right towards him in the end zone. The Ravens then converted for three points. When Jackson found WR Zay Flowers all alone with 6:32 left in the third quarter, Hickman had the angle on him, but got turned around at the 20-yard line, to which Flowers then ran all the way down to the three-yard line with a great diving tackle by CB Denzel Ward, which saved a touchdown. Hickman was late in coverage of WR DeAndre Hopkins, who gained 10 yards with 3:21 left in the game. On the fourth-and-one play in which TE Mark Andrews ran 35 yards downfield? The Browns had nine on the line and two players back. On the snap, both Jackson and Henry ran to their left while Andrews looped around to the right. Hickman immediately followed Henry and Jackson while Andrews took off with a single safety man in sight.

Lack of tight end production – What happened? Rookie Harold Fannin had just five targets and two receptions for 26 yards. David Njoku had two targets and one catch. Blake Whiteheart had zero stats. Why aren’t the tight ends being used? Both the starters have great hands and are good after the catch.

Lack of receiver production – It’s like this offense doesn’t even realize they have Jerry Jeudy on the roster. Three receptions for 21 yards? Really? The offense gets the height advantage back with Ced Tillman, and he has just four targets? Three catches for 52 yards? One throw to the rookie Bond? Wasn’t he supposed to be this hidden gem that we ended up with? Corley caught both targets for what? Nine yards? In all, Cleveland receivers had 73 yards. Combined.

Lack of offensive production – While the Browns’ defense was scoring points, Cleveland’s offense never found the end zone. It’s not like they didn’t get down inside the Red Zone. They did, but went 0-2. Yeah, just two trips inside the Ravens’ 20. 10 first downs for the game. Five fewer minutes of possession. 187 total yards. 2.8 yards average per completion. The quarterback was sacked three times. A holding call on a key first down conversion. After going for it on a fourth-and-one and converting, it was all for naught after being called for an illegal formation. Had leads of 13-3 and 16-10 late in the game.

MARK ANDREWS TAKES IT HIMSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tune in on CBS pic.twitter.com/GJEbNW7ooy

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 17, 2025

Fourth-and-one touchdown – WTFreak? For one, why were every single Browns defender up at the line of scrimmage? Yes, all 11 players. For another, how does a slow tight end ramble 35 yards on a fourth-and-one yard attempt, trying to get just one yard for a first down? At the snap, both Henry and Jackson flared out to their left and four Browns defenders followed. Follow where safety man Hickman ended up. For the 2025 Ravens season highlight video, this play will become the very first shown. An embarrassment to the entire Cleveland franchise. And, at home.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Milk Bones – Praying for you Bernie Kosar​

P Corey Bojorquez – Because the Cleveland offense could not complete drives, Bojo bailed them with six punts for 49.5 average, including one that should have been left alone and downed at the one.

S Chris Edmonds – Why in the world did Edmonds even touch the Bojo punt at the goal line? It was barely moving after an excellent swat by S Donovan McMillion. If he had just left it alone, it would have died a natural death at the six-inch line. You saw how TE Blake Whiteheart got out of the way and left the ball alone.

S Donovan McMillon – Excellent ball swat as he was diving into the end zone, and knocked the ball perfectly out into the field of play. There aren’t any drills to teach players this in practice, so his timing was perfect, plus he had great awareness of where his feet were when he dove after the ball. Too bad his efforts were ruined. What a great tackle on the kickoff after the Ravens scored their first points on a field goal.

KYLE HAMILTON SACKS SHEDEUR SANDERS.

Tune in on CBS. pic.twitter.com/DoPoMljqZt

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 16, 2025

RB Jerome Ford – When a running back is left in the backfield, he has one job: protect the QB. On a third-and-eight with 10:54 left in the third quarter, S Kyle Hamilton blitzed and had Ford one-on-one. Only Ford whiffed and Hamilton was able to sack Sanders,, who then fumbled, but the Browns kept possession. One carry for two yards and zero receptions.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...-loss-to-ravens-shedeur-sanders-myles-garrett

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns defense gives up the big play again in Week 11 vs Ravens

The Cleveland Browns’ defense just can’t help but giving up that one big play or big drive each week. It’s hard to be mad at them, because one bad drive shouldn’t cost most teams a game when the rest of their performance is stellar. The backbreaker this week,

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on defense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 11 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Defensive Line​

Pos	Player	Plays	% Snaps	Stats
DL	Myles Garrett	48	79%	5 tackles (5 combined). 4 sacks, 5 TFL, 5 QH.
DL	Maliek Collins	43	70%	2 tackles (2 combined). 1 TFL.
DL	Mason Graham	41	67%	2 tackles (2 combined). 1 TFL.
DL	Isaiah McGuire	41	67%	1 tackle, 2 assists (3 combined).
DL	Cameron Thomas	24	39%	1 assist (1 combined).
DL	Shelby Harris	21	34%	1 tackle, 1 assist (2 combined).
DL	Mike Hall	19	31%	1 tackle (1 combined). 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH.
DL	Adin Huntington	10	16%	1 tackle (1 combined).

• I was one week off in projecting that Myles Garrett would nearly repeat his five-sack performance (he had four this week). He received a grade of 90.8 from PFF, the highest grade on defense for Cleveland this week.
• It was nice to see Mike Hall gew a few more reps this week, up from the three he had last week. He also logged a sack.
• With Alex Wright out, the Browns increased Isaiah McGuire’s reps and gave more action to Cameron Thomas as the rotational player. Thomas received a solid grade of 71.9 from PFF, fourth best on defense.
• Shelby Harris was credited for a big day in run defense. He was the Browns’ second-highest graded player on run defense, grading out to an 83.5.

Linebacker​

Pos	Player	Plays	% Snaps	Stats
LB	Carson Schwesinger	61	100%	8 tackles, 2 assists (10 combined). 2 TFL, 1 INT, 1 pass defended.
LB	Devin Bush	56	92%	2 tackles, 2 assists (4 combined). 1 INT, 1 pass defended.
LB	Jerome Baker	21	34%	2 assists (2 combined).
LB	Mohamoud Diabate	10	16%	No stats registered.

• It seems like Carson Schwesinger is having big games each week; he had 10 tackles, two of them for losses, and an interception. And yet, there’s something he’s doing that is consistently putting him toward the bottom of PFF’s grades. He received a grade of 52.3 from PFF this week, which was fourth worst on the defense.
• Devin Bush also had a nice-looking game, including coming away with the pick six in the first half. He received a grade of 79.1 from PFF, third-highest on defense.
• Jerome Baker had more snaps than Mohamoud Diabate this week.

Cornerback​

Pos	Player	Plays	% Snaps	Stats
CB	Denzel Ward	60	98%	4 tackles, 1 assist (5 combined). 1 pass defended.
CB	Tyson Campbell	55	90%	2 tackles, 2 assists (4 combined).
CB	Myles Harden	28	46%	1 tackle (1 combined).
CB	Dom Jones	1	2%	No stats registered.

• The Browns’ cornerbacks were all dinged for missed tackles against the Ravens. They can cover well, but we’ve seen other teams with far superior tackling from the position.

Safety​

Pos	Player	Plays	% Snaps	Stats
S	Ronnie Hickman	61	100%	3 tackles, 6 assists (9 combined).
S	Grant Delpit	57	93%	2 tackles, 1 assist (3 combined).
S	Rayshawn Jenkins	14	23%	1 assist (1 combined).

• Grant Delpit recovered a fumble on special teams, but as far as defense goes, he was the Browns’ third-lowest graded defender by PFF, grading out to a 50.9.
• Ronnie Hickman missed a key interception in the end zone in the second half.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...es-up-the-big-play-again-in-week-11-vs-ravens

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Cleveland Browns are headed to Las Vegas, but are the odds on their side?

The Cleveland Browns opened as 3-point underdogs against the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of their Week 12 match-up, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under on the game is 36.5.

The Browns (2-8) are coming off of a 23-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, a game that saw Shedeur Sanders make his NFL debut in relief of Dillon Gabriel. Unfortunately, neither quarterback could do anything, and what was once a 16-10 halftime lead turned into a loss and a sweep for the Ravens against Cleveland. Now, all eyes are on Gabriel’s status this week — if he remains in the concussion protocol, Sanders will make his first career start in Las Vegas.

The Raiders (2-8) are coming off of a 33-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, a game in which they never seemed to stand a chance. After beating the Patriots in Week 1, it’s been all downhill for Las Vegas, as Pete Carroll and Geno Smith’s first year with the Raiders has been a disaster. If you thought the Browns’ offense was bad (ranked 31st), wait until you look in the mirror at the Raiders (ranked 30th). The over/under of 36.5 might be a little generous.

What odds would you take if you were placing a bet?

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...ing/109751/shedeur-sanders-las-vegas-odds-win

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Raiders perfect opponent for Browns in Week 12 on both sides of the line

When the Cleveland Browns lost to the New York Jets in Week 10, all talk of “easy matchups” should have gone out the window. The Jets were a bad football team that had just traded away two of their best defenders prior to the game and the Browns still found a way to lose.

Both teams continued their losing ways in Week 11 and are now fighting it out in the 2026 NFL draft order along with teams like the Las Vegas, the Browns Week 12 opponent.

A look at the Raiders schedule shows a shocking Week 1 win against the now-impressive New England Patriots and a Week 6 victory over the one-win Tennessee Titans. Like Cleveland, Las Vegas has often struggled to score points under new OC Chip Kelly, with games of 0, 6, 7, and 9 points this season. The offensive line is so bad, but the coaching staff can’t play two of their young players, Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant, both third-round picks, because of how bad they are:

According to a source with the Raiders, the staff tried to start rookie guard Caleb Rogers initially but in practice but he was so bad with just getting basic assignments down they felt it would be disrespectful to other players to start him just because of draft position.…

— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) November 18, 2025

With Myles Garrett and company coming to town, the Raiders could be in for a long night. Good news for Browns fans hoping for a win.

On the other side of the ball, despite having Maxx Crosby, Cleveland’s Shedeur Sanders could have plenty of time to throw the ball. Las Vegas is near the bottom of the league in getting pressure on the quarterback, something Sanders has struggled with in his time in the NFL. Shocking that with Crosby, the Raiders are second to last in pressure rate:

On the opposite side of things, and what may help Shedeur until his tempo speeds up, the Raiders are 31st in QB pressure rate (26.4%) with 2.74 seconds to generate pressure.

Do your best to limit Crosby’s impact and things could be much improved for Shedeur week-to-week. https://t.co/Lxz6hdzrX1

— Cody Suek (@CodySuek) November 18, 2025

For the Browns and their fans, no team can be seen as an easy win after the Jets debacle, but the Raiders set up as a perfect opponent to cure some of the ills that have haunted the team.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...r-browns-in-week-12-on-both-sides-of-the-line

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Cleveland Browns vs. Las Vegas Raiders: Week 12 TV Map

The Week 12 game between the Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Raiders will air on CBS at 4:05 PM ET on Sunday.

Announcers: Tom McCarthy & Ross Tucker

Ohio Coverage: Only the upper portion Ohio will get to see the game, with the likes of Dayton, Columbus, and Cincinnati getting the early Patriots vs. Bengals game instead. In Northeast Ohio, the game will air on WOIO (Channel 19.1).

National Coverage: The national coverage besides Ohio is limited to the Vegas and Reno Nevada areas, and tiny slivers of California. Shedeur Sanders deserves better for his first career start (kidding).

WEEK 12 NFL GAMES AIRING NATIONALLY OR IN CLEVELAND

• Thursday – 8:15 PM ET: Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Texans (Prime)
• Sunday – 1:00 PM ET: New York Giants vs. Detroit Lions (FOX)
• Sunday – 4:05 PM ET: Cleveland Browns vs. Las Vegas Raiders (CBS)
• Sunday – 4:25 PM ET: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys (FOX)
• Sunday – 8:20 PM ET: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Los Angeles Rams (NBC)
• Monday – 8:15 PM ET: Carolina Panthers vs. San Francisco 49ers (ESPN)

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Let’s have a roll call — if you’re a Browns fans outside of Ohio, let us know if your city gets to see Cleveland on TV this week.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...las-vegas-raiders-week-12-tv-map-how-to-watch

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns QB Shedeur Sanders looking to break 30-year streak

The Cleveland Browns are a franchise that knows more about quarterbacks than almost anyone else in the NFL.

Now, it is important to note they don’t necessarily know about good quarterbacks, as the Browns have cycled through 41 starting quarterbacks since 1999. That number includes 11 times where the Browns have started three different quarterbacks in a single season, and 17 quarterbacks who made their starting debuts as rookies.

Those totals will go up by one on Sunday when the Browns face the Las Vegas Raiders with rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders getting the start as Dillon Gabriel remains in the league-mandated concussion protocol.

Sanders will face a tall task against the Raiders, even if it will be made easier by a week of practice reps with the first-team offense. The Browns have lost 13 consecutive road games and have not won a game in the Pacific Time Zone since beating the Raiders in 2012.

He will also be looking to become the first rookie quarterback to win his Cleveland debut since Eric Zeier in 1995. (When it comes to quarterbacks and unbelievable stats, the Browns have cornered the market!)

For those not old enough to remember, let’s take a look back at that magical moment that occurred in the same year as the O.J. Simpson verdict, the release of Windows 95, and the worldwide launch of the Sony PlayStation.

The Browns opened the season looking to build off a playoff appearance in 1994 with Vinny Testaverde as the starting quarterback. They started by winning three of their first four games, but a three-game losing streak, highlighted by a home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars as a 13-point favorite, left the Browns at 3-4.

Struggling for answers, head coach Bill Belichick benched Testaverde despite the veteran having passed for 10 touchdowns against just three interceptions, and turned the offense over to Zeier, the team’s third-round selection in that year’s NFL Draft.

Zeier’s debut came on October 29 against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium. Cleveland struggled to score through three quarters, with their only points coming on four field goals from Matt Stover, and opened the fourth quarter trailing the Bengals, 16-12.

But Zeier came alive in the final period, first hitting Andre Rison with a 17-yard touchdown pass, then leading a touchdown drive that culminated in a three-yard rushing touchdown by Earnest Byner to give the Browns a 26-16 lead with just under four minutes remaining.

The Bengals were not to be denied, however, as they scored on a 41-yard field goal by Doug Pelfrey with one minute remaining, recovered an onside kick, and, benefitting from a pair of pass interference penalties on Cleveland’s defense, sent the game into overtime when quarterback David Klingler, filling in for Jeff Blake, hit wide receiver Carl Pickens with a one-yard touchdown pass.

In overtime, Cleveland defensive back Dana Hill intercepted a Klingler pass, and Zeier moved the Browns into position for Stover to convert a game-winning 28-yard field goal.

Zeier finished the game 26-of-46 for 310 yards and one touchdown in leading the offense to 480 total yards. And the Browns needed every one of them as they were penalized 15 times for 188 yards, tied for the second-most in franchise history. (Makes you wonder what Belichick did all week in practice!)

Zeier went on to start the next three games before being benched for Testaverde at halftime against the Green Bay Packers. After not playing the next two weeks, Zeier came off the bench against the Minnesota Vikings but threw four interceptions and was sacked five times as Cleveland’s season continued to spiral out of control*, thanks in part to Belichick being unable to stick with a quarterback.

Zeier would play five more seasons in the NFL, three with the Baltimore Ravens and two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but would only start eight games between those two teams. For his career, he played in 28 games, completing 56.1 percent of his passes for 3,520 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.

On Sunday in Las Vegas, Sanders has the opportunity to do something no rookie quarterback has done for the Browns since 1995. Which, even for a team as bizarre as the Browns, seems hard to believe.

*The narrative around the 1995 season was that the season only fell apart after Art Modell announced he was moving the Browns to Baltimore. But things were already going to hell before then, thanks to Belichick having no idea how to deal with the quarterback situation.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...edeur-sanders-looking-to-break-30-year-streak

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns vs Raiders: Vegas is healthy, CLE has 3 DNPs and long injury list

The Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders square off in a matchup of two two-win teams with not a lot to play for and coaches on some version of the hot seat. The story of the week is the Browns starting QB Shedeur Sanders, with QB Dillon Gabriel likely to miss the game with a concussion. Sanders is looking to break a 30-year streak for Cleveland in Week 12 on the road in Las Vegas.

The first injury reports of the week showed a dramatic difference in health for the two teams:

Browns Injury Report​

• OL Joel Bitonio – Rest – Limited
• DT Maliek Collins – Rest – Limited
• OL Jack Conklin – Knee – Limited
• S Grant Delpit – Elbow – Full
• QB Dillon Gabriel – Concussion – DNP
• DE Myles Garrett – Rest – Limited
• TE David Njoku – Knee – DNP
• OL Cam Robinson – Knee – Limited
• DE Alex Wright – Quad – DNP
• CB Denzel Ward – Rest – Limited

Conklin and Robinson left Week 11 with injuries, but it is a good sign they were back on the field for Wednesday’s practice. Njoku has been listed with a knee issue the last few years, so his will be an important one to watch.

Raiders Injury Report​

• DT Jonah Laulu – Ribs – Limited

That is the whole list for Las Vegas, a backup defensive tackle being limited.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...s-raiders-injuries-david-njoku-dillon-gabriel

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns injury addition, little improvement; Raiders add best player plus 2 to injury list

The first injury report of Week 12’s matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders was very divergent, with the visitors listing a ton of players, including some resting, and the home team having just one, a backup defensive tackle. As the Browns coordinators said all the right things about this week’s matchup and starting QB Shedeur Sanders, health became a bigger issue for both teams, especially the Raiders.

DE Alex Wright getting a contract extension was the big news on Thursday. A number of other players on Cleveland’s roster are set to hit free agency, but GM Andrew Berry can work to get deals done with them as well.

The Wright news was quickly overshadowed when Las Vegas’ injury report came out, with DE Maxx Crosby added to the list with a knee issue. All changes to the report from Wednesday to Thursday are listed in bold below:

Browns Injury Report​

• OL Joel Bitonio – Rest – Limited to Full
• DT Maliek Collins – Rest – Limited to Full
• OL Jack Conklin – Knee – Limited
• S Grant Delpit – Elbow – Full
• QB Dillon Gabriel – Concussion – DNP
• DE Myles Garrett – Rest – Limited to Full
• TE David Njoku – Knee – DNP
• WR Jamari Thrash – Foot – DNP – Added on Thursday
• OL Cam Robinson – Knee – Limited
• DE Alex Wright – Quad – DNP
• CB Denzel Ward – Rest – Limited to Full

Raiders Injury Report​

• DT Jonah Laulu – Ribs – Limited
• DE Maxx Crosby – Knee – Limited – Added on Thursday
• DT Leki Fotu – Hell – Limited – Added on Thursday
• OL Dylan Parham – Achilles – Full

All eyes will be on Las Vegas’ injury report on Friday, but Njoku and Thrash could be important pieces for Cleveland as well.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...raiders-maxx-crosby-injury-report-david-njoku

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns vs. Raiders Week 12 predictions: Luck on Shedeur Sanders’ side in Vegas?

The Cleveland Browns take on the Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday. It’s the first career start for Shedeur Sanders, so this is either going to be wondrous or a complete turkey.

Here is what the national media is saying about the Week 12 game between the Browns and Raiders:

CBS Sports (Pete Prisco) – Browns 20, Raiders 17​

This will be Shedeur Sanders making his first start for the Browns. The good news is he’s facing a Raiders team that struggles against the pass. The Raiders offense has issues protecting Geno Smith as well, which could be setting up a big day for Myles Garrett. The Browns will win a low-scoring game.

CBS Sports (John Breech) – Browns 19, Raiders 16​

Sporting News (Vinnie Iyer) – Raiders 16, Browns 10​

The Browns might need to start one time Raiders’ draft prospect of note Shedeur Sanders at QB, which is a great thing. … for the Raiders. Myles Garrett and Cleveland’s defense falls to earth on the road, while Maxx Crosby and his teammates will like teeing off on a overwhelmed rookie, whether it’s Sanders or Dillon Gabriel.

Sporting News (Bill Bender) – Raiders 20, Browns 19​

Will Shedeur Sanders start? That’s one of the burning questions for two teams that rank in the bottom five in scoring offense. Myles Garrett — who had four sacks in Week 10 — and Maxx Crosby – who has heated up at home – are going to be key players in what should be an ugly matchup. The Raiders are 3-0 S/U against the Browns since moving to Las Vegas.

Below are our Week 12 NFL staff picks:

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...ictions-luck-on-shedeur-sanders-side-in-vegas

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns vs. Raiders: Week 12 Need to Know

The Cleveland Browns are in Sin City on Sunday to face the Las Vegas Raiders.

Both teams are in a hot battle with the Tennessee Titans and three other two-win teams for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, so this could be a game where the winner may not be as excited as the loser.

Draft order can wait, however, as the game marks the debut of quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who will get the start after a fierce week of work with the first-team offense. It is a shame that the game is not being shown nationwide, but Vegas is as good a place as any for a transcendent star like Sanders to introduce himself to the NFL.

It is the Browns vs. the Raiders in the late-afternoon window from Las Vegas, and here is everything to know about the game.

Game Info​

Records: Cleveland is 2-8. Las Vegas is 2-8.

Kickoff: 4:05 p.m.

Stadium: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

TV: CBS

Announcers: Tom McCarthy, Ross Tucker, and Tiffany Blackmon (sideline reporter)

Radio: 850 ESPN Cleveland, 92.3 The Fan WKRK, 98.5 WNCX, 1300 AM La Mega (Español)

Announcers: Andrew Siciliano, Nathan Zegura, and Jerod Cherry (sidelines)

Last meeting: The Raiders won the last meeting, 20-16, in Week 4 of the 2024 season.

First meeting: The Raiders won the first meeting, 23-20, on November 8, 1970.

All-time series: The Raiders lead the all-time series, 18-10. The Browns have lost four of their last five road games against the Raiders.

Weather: Allegiant Stadium is enclosed, so no weather issues.

Uniform: The Browns will be sporting a never-before-seen, and possibly regrettable, combo of their white throwback helmet, paired with their standard white jersey and orange pants.

never-before-seen uni combo for Vegas pic.twitter.com/8Fo639pc35

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 21, 2025

Injury report: Browns – Out: Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (concussion). Questionable: Right tackle Jack Conklin (knee), wide receiver Jamari Thrash (foot), and defensive end Alex Wright (quad). Raiders – No reported injuries.

The line: Browns +3.5, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

News and Notes​

• The last Cleveland rookie quarterback to win his debut game was Eric Zeier in 1995.
• Since 2000, 28 quarterbacks selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft have taken a snap in a regular-season game. Only Mark Brunell of the Jacksonville Jaguars would go on to be a starter, according to The Athletic.
• The Raiders offensive line allowed four sacks and 16 pressures last week against the Dallas Cowboys.
• Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith is one of two quarterbacks, along with J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings, with more interceptions (13) than touchdown passes (12) this season.
• Smith is 29th in passer rating and 31st in QBR, ahead of just the once-again benched Justin Fields of the New York Jets, according to ESPN.
• The Browns have intercepted a pass in four consecutive games.
• Las Vegas defensive end Maxx Crosby is third in the league with 14 tackles for loss.
• The Browns have not won a road game since defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2 of the 2024 season.
• Cleveland has not won a game in the Pacific Time Zone since 2012.

In Case You Missed It​

• Browns vs. Raiders Week 12 predictions: Luck on Shedeur Sanders’ side in Vegas?
• Browns starting QB Shedeur Sanders could lead to change in snap counts on offense
• ESPN’s 2026 NFL mock draft has Browns getting QB, OT after projected trade
• Browns Carson Schwesinger has award lined up despite team’s struggles
• 6 takeaways from Cleveland’s coordinators about the Raiders
• Browns roster: Top 10 pending NFL free agents after Alex Wright extension
• Browns QB Shedeur Sanders looking to break 30-year streak
• Browns vs Raiders: 3 biggest concerns for Cleveland in Week 12
• Raiders perfect opponent for Browns in Week 12 on both sides of the line
• ESPN talking head: Myles Garrett setting sack record on bad team is ‘awful’
• In the NFL, QB is the most important part of the QB/HC equation

A Final Quote​

Guard Joel Bitonio, who will be blocking for the 21st different Cleveland starting quarterback on Sunday, on what the Browns hope to see from Shedeur Sanders:

“His mental work this week has been prepping hard. He’s been doing some extra walkthroughs and getting an understanding, and he wants to perform well, we want to perform well for him, but I think he’s going to have a better grasp of what we’re trying to do on offense, and hopefully that translates to some good drives, some sustained drives, some points scored. That’s kind of what we’re looking for.”

---

What are you looking for from the Browns in Sunday’s game against the Raiders?

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...eland-browns-lasvegas-raiders-week-12-preview

 

[Cleveland Browns]

5 quick hitters with Silver and Black Pride: Can Shedeur Sanders snap Cleveland’s losing streak?

This Sunday, the Cleveland Browns are on the road as they take on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12. To help preview a few topics from the Raiders’ perspective, we reached out to Matt Holder from Silver and Black Pride and exchanged five questions with him.

---

Chris: “What are fans’ thoughts on Pete Carroll and Geno Smith? Could they be one and done?”

Matt: “The fanbase is pretty upset because Carroll talked about how much of a winner he is all offseason, only for the team to look just as bad, if not worse than it did last year. On a similar note, Smith has quickly gone from a good bridge-gap option to one of the most frustrating players for the fanbase. Leading the league in interceptions while not providing the high-end throws he has in the past will do that. It’s obvious he’s feeling the heat, sarcastically saying that people can blame everything bad in their lives on him after last week’s loss.

A great soundbite from #Raiders QB Geno Smith

“I keep saying this— if something doesn’t look right out there, blame it on me…”

“If your kids mess up at school, blame it on me. If your car breaks down going to work, blame it on me.” pic.twitter.com/s5IFESIt6Z

— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) November 18, 2025

There’s a realistic chance that those two are one and done. I think that if Carroll gets fired, Geno will be gone too, and the only thing saving them is the fact that the organization has had so much turnover at the head coach and quarterback positions over the last five years. Neither of their performances this season has given Raider Nation reason to believe they’ll be better next year. ”

---

Chris: “What do you view as the Raiders’ biggest weakness right now?”

Matt: “Honestly, the team has so many issues that it’s hard to pin one down as the biggest weakness. I guess I could point to the quarterback since that’s the most important position on the field and, as mentioned above, Smith is playing terribly. But Las Vegas also has an awful offensive line–especially with starters Kolton Miller and Jackson Powers-Johnson on injured reserve–a lack of talent on defense outside of Maxx Crosby, and the team is poorly coached. I mentioned that Carroll has done a bad job, but coordinators Chip Kelly and Patrick Graham should also be on the hot seat.

At the end of the day, the Raiders are a dysfunctional organization, and we got another example of that this week. The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov reported earlier this week that there’s a disconnect between the front office and coaching staff, where general manager John Spytek wants to see the young guys on the roster get more playing time while Carroll is hellbent on playing veterans to win games. Then, a source told The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen that rookie offensive linemen Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant (both third-round picks who have combined to play one snap this season) aren’t good enough to see the field yet.

So, there’s a lot of finger-pointing going around as it’s C.Y.A. season in Las Vegas.”

---

Chris: “Besides RB Ashton Jeanty, which of the Raiders’ 2025 draft picks has been the most regular contributor thus far?”

Matt: “Good question. This ties into my previous answer, and there really isn’t anyone I can point to.

Cornerback Darien Porter would technically be second, but he’s played less than 250 snaps defensively this season and has only made three starts. Porter got elevated into the starting lineup two weeks ago against the Denver Broncos, but then was a backup last week. He might start on Sunday since Kyu Blu Kelly, the primary second starting corner, was terrible (again) on Monday night.

On top of that, rookie wide receivers Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton have combined for 14 catches, 190 yards and no touchdowns. Bech hasn’t had a game with at least 30 yards yet, and Thornton has one catch for four yards since September…”

---

Chris: “Tell us about one player who Browns fans may not have heard of, but who could have an impact on this Sunday’s game.”

Matt: “Wide receiver Tre Tucker has been one of the few somewhat bright spots for the Raiders this year. The third-year pro currently leads the team with 502 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. He has 4.3 speed to be a big play threat, especially if defenses put too much attention on tight end Brock Bowers.”

---

Chris: “The Browns are underdogs against the Raiders on Sunday (Browns +4 as of this question, per FanDuel Sportsbook). Who would you pick to win the game?”

Matt: “A couple of years ago, the Raiders played a game against the Minnesota Vikings where they lost 3-0 in what was a brutal display of offensive football by both teams. The Vikings didn’t score until after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter. I think we’re in for a similar stinkfest on Sunday.

I’ll give the advantage to the Raiders since they at least have the experienced quarterback on their side, with this being Shedeur Sanders’ first start. Also, they’re notorious for winning these games late in the season to ruin their draft positioning, i.e. beating the Jaguars and Saints in Weeks 16 and 17 last year. My tongue-in-cheek score prediction is 5-0 Las Vegas, but a more realistic one is 10-3.”

---

Thanks again to Matt for taking the time to answer my questions.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...shedeur-sanders-snap-clevelands-losing-streak

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns have a new QB2 for game against the Raiders

The Cleveland Browns have what might be one of the few remaining winnable games on the schedule on Sunday when they take on the Las Vegas Raiders.

No game is automatic for the Browns, of course, especially given that they have lost six of their past seven games. But the Raiders, who bring a 2-8 record into the tilt, have lost eight of their past nine games, and have allowed 30 or more points in three of their last four games.

Cleveland comes into the game in decent health, although they will be without defensive end Alex Wright, who is fresh off signing a three-year contract extension, and starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who will miss the game with a concussion.

Gabriel’s absence means that the Browns can finally unleash quarterback Shedeur Sanders on an unsuspecting league, with the Raiders being the first sacrificial lamb.

With Sanders running the offense, the Browns are in need of a new backup quarterback, and on Saturday, the team elevated veteran Bailey Zappe from the practice squad to the gameday roster.

Zappe is in his fourth season and second tour of duty with the Browns. A fourth-round draft pick by the New England Patriots in 2022, Zappe appeared in 14 games with the Patriots, making two starts, between 2022 and 2023.

The highlight of Zappe’s career, so far, came as a rookie when he torched Cleveland’s defense for 309 yards and two touchdowns while completing 70.6 percent of his attempts as the Patriots took down the Browns, 38-15.

The Browns had Zappe in the building in 2024, and he started the season finale against the Baltimore Ravens. He was less successful that day, unfortunately, as he threw for just 170 yards and one touchdown, while tossing two interceptions and completing just 51.6 percent of his passes.

Fortunately for the Browns, Sanders has reportedly been preparing like a fiend all week for the game, so the Raiders may not need to fear seeing Zappe on the field, unless it is just to close out the game for the Browns late in the fourth quarter.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...browns-elevate-bailey-zappe-las-vegas-raiders

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns Deshaun Watson change for Week 12 due to Shedeur Sanders’ starting debut

The Cleveland Browns will have their third starting quarterback of the 2025 NFL season when Shedeur Sanders takes the field in Week 12 versus the Las Vegas Raiders. Bailey Zappe will be the backup for the Browns due to Dillon Gabriel’s concussion.

Sanders may not be able to change the future for Cleveland, but he is preparing as if his first start could be his last, while Browns fans (mostly) want him to be successful, while also focused on 2026 NFL draft order-related games.

Sanders replaced Deshaun Watson as the big-name quarterback with the Browns, but Watson is still around the team. According to multiple reports, starting with Mary Kay Cabot, Watson will travel with the team for the first time this season as support for Cleveland’s new starter:

How #Browns Deshaun Watson will help Shedeur Sanders on the sidelines vs. the #Raiders in his first road trip of the season: —> https://t.co/V4qbyZDbKh

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 22, 2025

HC Kevin Stefanski may not have wanted to play Sanders this year, but he has spent a lot of extra time with the young quarterback all season and, now, has Watson coming along to help him out as well. Whether or not the veteran quarterback can be helpful to Sanders or not, Cleveland still has the same struggling offensive line, pass-catching group, and offensive system that Gabriel struggled with.

We may not know if it will help, but fans should expect to see a lot of shots of Sanders and Watson talking on the sideline during Browns vs Raiders in Week 12.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...hedeur-sanders-deshaun-watson-week-12-raiders

 

[Cleveland Browns]

When it comes to sacks, Myles Garrett is inevitable

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is now in his ninth season of terrorizing opposing quarterbacks.

Garrett is so relentless and productive that everyone is running out of words to describe his feats. At one point during the broadcast of Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, CBS color analyst Russ Tucker described Garrett as “inevitable,” which is probably as good a description as any.

One thing that can be said without doubt is that Garrett is record-setting after notching three of Cleveland’s 10 sacks of Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith in Sunday’s 24-10 victory. Those three sacks bring Garrett’s season total to 18, which breaks his franchise record of 16 sacks in a season, which Garrett hit in 2021 and 2022.

It was his fourth multi-sack game of the season and the third in his last three games.

Garrett is now just five sacks away from breaking the official NFL record of 22.5 sacks in a single season, which is currently held by T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers (2021) and Michael Strahan of the New York Giants (2001). Garrett also has the unofficial record of 23 sacks, set by Al Baker of the Detroit Lions in 1978, squarely in his line of vision.

Myles tops his own single-season sack number to set a new franchise record!#CLEvsLV on CBS and NFL+ pic.twitter.com/bidIrKCUn5

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 23, 2025

He also joins Hall-of-Famer Reggie White (19 sacks) and Mark Gastineau (17.5) as the only players since 1982 to have at least 17 sacks in the first 11 games of a season, according to cleveland.com.

The Browns have six games remaining on the schedule, which leaves Garrett facing:

• The San Francisco 49ers, who have allowed 19 sacks.
• The Tennessee Titans, who have allowed 45 sacks.
• The Chicago Bears, who have allowed 17 sacks.
• The Buffalo Bills, who have allowed 28 sacks.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers, who have allowed 21 sacks.
• The Cincinnati Bengals, who have allowed 24 sacks.

Six games to go to break the record and be legendary.

As Tucker said today, Garrett’s pursuit of the sack record seems inevitable.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...owns-myles-garrett-franchise-record-for-sacks

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Shedeur Sanders’ starting debut for Browns: Video of 4 plays shows his upside

The Cleveland Browns knocked off the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season. Browns fans are happy with a victory, but the team now sits outside of the Top 5 of the 2026 NFL draft order. For some Cleveland fans and much of the general population, how QB Shedeur Sanders performed was the most important thing, but the Browns dominant defense and DE Myles Garrett taking his performance to another level were actually the keys to the game.

Sanders’ raw numbers were fine:

• 11/20
• 209 yards
• 1 touchdown
• 1 interception

As our Tom Moore pointed out, a couple of big plays hid the overall offensive performance led by Sanders:

• 3-of-12 on 3rd down
• 113 yards of offense on 45 plays (taking out the three big plays that still count, even if Dylan Sampson did all the work on his play)
• 55% completion rate
• 8 punts on 12 drives (not counting kneel down at end of first half)

Browns offense finished with a league worst 26% success rate yesterday. Not only worst of any offense yesterday but the 6th worst game out of any team among 341 offensive outputs in the NFL this season. pic.twitter.com/WhIMs4Fsb1

— Clevta (@Clevta) November 24, 2025

That doesn’t mean it was all bad. In fact, it wasn’t. Brian Baldinger of The NFL Network highlighted four plays, including the Sampson screen, as signs of Sanders’ upside:

.@browns @Raiders @ShedeurSanders 4 throws that helped him to his first Win in his first NFL start for the #dawgpound in 30 years #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/Cwk30iG7vk

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 24, 2025

Everyone, including Garrett, was impressed with the throw to WR Isaiah Bond, but the video shows the amount of pressure he was under when he made that deep pass. The slight pocket movement and accuracy to get the ball to TE Harold Fannin Jr. on the second highlighted play show the subtlety of the rookie’s playmaking, especially as he is about to get hit again.

The Jeudy throw is a good combination of the first two highlights as Sanders gets out of pressure, directs traffic, floats a perfect pass downfield, all while preparing to get hit.

The screen pass is nothing special, but it is nice to see the quick look toward the middle of the field before flipping his hips and hitting Sampson in the right position to be able to take off and run instead of having to adjust to the football. In the NFL, half a second can make a huge difference in a play going for a long touchdown or being a quick stop. Sanders did the little things right on that screenplay.

For the Browns future, it is also exciting to see Sanders hit three rookies on four of those plays with Bond, Fannin and Sampson all getting involved in the action.

Shedeur Sanders wasn’t perfect, far from it, but those four plays give a hint at who he can be as a quarterback. It is also important to note that Sanders only took one sack and did not try to escape out of the back of the pocket, his biggest struggle in the preseason and his Week 11 debut.

All and all, a positive start for Sanders. Now we find out if HC Kevin Stefanski will give him a second start in Week 13 or stick to his word about Dillon Gabriel being the starter when healthy.

---

What did you see from Shedeur Sanders’ debut? Does Baldinger’s video provide more context to his Week 12 performance for you?

Share your thoughts in the comment section below

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...-debut-browns-video-highlights-upside-week-12

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns defense dominates with 10 sacks in Week 12 vs Raiders

The Cleveland Browns’ defense dominated the Raiders, logging 10 sacks and an absurd amount of pressures on Geno Smith. We have an article about those numbers in itself here. The Browns were dominant, but it wasn’t a shock to me, because I had just watched the egg that Las Vegas’ offense laid a few days earlier on Monday Night.

Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on defense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 12 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Defensive Line​

Pos	Player	Plays	% Snaps	Stats
DL	Myles Garrett	60	76%	4 tackles, 1 assist (5 combined). 3 sacks, 4 TFL, 6 QH. 2 forced fumbles.
DL	Mason Graham	50	63%	4 tackles, 1 assist (5 combined). 1 TFL, 1 pass defended.
DL	Isaiah McGuire	49	62%	4 tackles, 3 assists (7 combined). 1 sack, 2 TFL, 2 QH.
DL	Maliek Collins	48	61%	2 tackles, 1 assist (3 combined). 2.5 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 QH, 1 fumble recovery.
DL	Cameron Thomas	44	56%	6 assists (6 combined). 1 sack, 3 QH.
DL	Mike Hall	33	42%	2 tackles, 2 assists (4 combined). 0.5 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH.
DL	Shelby Harris	32	41%	1 assist (1 combined). 0.5 sack, 1 QH.
DL	Adin Huntington	5	6%	No stats registered.

• Myles Garrett feasted on the Raiders’ defense, making my sign proud. He registered 3 sacks, the last of which led to a fumble recovery for Cleveland (although the game was already sealed before that). Garrett was the Browns’ top-graded defender per PFF, grading out to a 93.7.
• Mason Graham had an impressive-looking performance (then again, who didn’t). After Garrett, Isaiah McGuire (84.9) was graded second by PFF, Mike Hall (75.6) was fifth, and Graham (75.2) sixth. Hall was more a part of the rotation this week, getting 42% of the snaps. Adin Huntington exited early with an injury.

Linebacker​

Pos	Player	Plays	% Snaps	Stats
LB	Carson Schwesinger	76	96%	6 tackles, 4 assists (10 combined). 1 TFL.
LB	Devin Bush	60	76%	4 tackles, 5 assists (9 combined). 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH.
LB	Mohamoud Diabate	11	14%	1 assist (1 combined).
LB	Jerome Baker	3	4%	1 assist (1 combined). 0.5 sack, 1 QH.

• The streak continues where Carson Schwesinger looks great with his pursuit, but it doesn’t reflect in the PFF grades. He led Cleveland with 10 tackles, but only graded out to a 66.4. He was dinged for his tackling. From the eye test in person, he played the part well.
• Devin Bush, meanwhile, continues to be a PFF darling. He was the Browns’ fourth-highest graded defender, grading out to a 79.0.
• Jerome Baker only played a few snaps, fewer than previous weeks as the team gave more reps to safety Rayshawn Jenkins.

Cornerback​

Pos	Player	Plays	% Snaps	Stats
CB	Tyson Campbell	79	100%	7 tackles, 2 assists (9 combined). 2 passes defended.
CB	Denzel Ward	72	91%	1 tackle (1 combined). 1 TFL, 2 passes defended.
CB	Myles Harden	49	62%	3 tackles, 1 assist (4 combined).
CB	Sam Webb	7	9%	No stats registered.

• Tyson Campbell was racking up the tackles with 9 of them, and also knocked two passes away. Campbell’s size really stood out to me, seeing him take on a back with relative ease.
• Denzel Ward was flagged for a pass interference penalty. Ward was the Browns’ third-highest graded defender, grading out to a 79.2.
• Myles Harden was the Browns’ worst-graded defender, per PFF, grading out to a 35.6. With Dom Jones gone due to injury, Sam Webb made his debut with 7 snaps.

Safety​

Pos	Player	Plays	% Snaps	Stats
S	Grant Delpit	79	100%	2 tackles, 3 assists (5 combined).
S	Ronnie Hickman	79	100%	2 tackles, 3 assists (5 combined).
S	Rayshawn Jenkins	33	42%	1 tackle, 2 assists (3 combined).

• The Browns’ group of safeties was not treated kindly by PFF. Out of 19 defenders, PFF ranked the safeties 16th, 17th, and 18th, with a mix of tackling, coverage, and run defense issues. The only subcategory that wasn’t an issue was Grant Delpit’s run defense.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...fense-dominates-with-10-sacks-week-12-raiders

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns rookie up for weekly award after big day in Vegas

The Cleveland Browns have not enjoyed much success this season when it comes to winning football games, but their rookie class continues to make headlines.

Defensive tackle Mason Graham, the club’s first-round selection, has shown nice progress as he continues to grow into his role. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger is a frontrunner for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, running back Quinshon Judkins leads rookies in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. keeps adding yards after the catch.

Then there is quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who made his starting debut a winning one on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.

With the spotlight shining so brightly on several of his fellow rookies, running back Dylan Sampson has felt a bit like an afterthought through the first 10 games of the season.

After getting 20 touches and picking up 93 combined yards of offense in the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sampson only had the occasional rushing attempt or pass reception in the ensuing nine games.

But that all changed against the Raiders, as Sampson made the most of his opportunities by turning a short pass from Sanders into a 66-yard touchdown scamper in the fourth quarter to help seal Cleveland’s 24-10 victory.

Sampson’s highlight play, the longest reception by a Cleveland player this season, coupled with a 26-yard run in the fourth quarter, has him as a nominee for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week award for Week 12.

got those wheels goin' for the score!#CLEvsLV on CBS and NFL+ pic.twitter.com/k1UFLthw35

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 23, 2025

While the other rookies have been getting the headlines, Sampson has stayed focused on improving each week and waiting to make the most of his opportunities, as he said on Monday:

“It’s kind of been a long road since that game, and I just keep my head down and figure out ways that I can improve, and there’s a lot of improvement I can do in my game right now, but I want to be the best that I can be each and every day for this team.”

Sunday’s game may have also been a preview of what Judkins and Sampson can do for the offense, according to Sampson:

“I think the sky is the limit, just with the way both of us play. I think we both play hard. I think we both have unique things that we both could bring to this offense and to this league. What it could be, I think in terms of just the staple that some of the other teams have now, like teams in Detroit or what the Saints used to have, I believe it can be that, and I’m going to work for it to be that every single day.”

Sampson’s competition for the award includes Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward, Las Vegas running back Ashton Jeanty, Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Barrett Carter, New York Giants defensive tackle Darius Alexander, and Houston Texans safety Jaylen Reed.

Fan voting is open until Thursday at 11 a.m. at NFL.com.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...son-nominted-rookie-of-the-week-award-week-12

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns NFL Power Rankings: Cleveland gets elevated after QB upgrade

It is Week 13, and the Cleveland Browns up 2.3 spots this week for a ranking of 26.7. The defense continues to get respect, especially with Myles Garrett’s historic season, but the victory for Shedeur Sanders in his first career start is what elevated the team’s ranking. If the Browns can pull off another win against the 49ers, even with their sub-.500 record, they could be the type of non-playoff team that starts surging up the rankings despite not being in the playoff hunt. But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.

Here is a summary of how the Cleveland Browns are viewed across mainstream media outlets in NFL Power Rankings heading into Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season.

CBS Sports – No. 28 (up 3 spots)​

They made the right decision to start Shedeur Sanders this week. He earned that right by beating the Raiders.

ESPN – No. 28 (up 1 spot)​

Thanksgiving game memory: Almost outlasting the Lions and running back Barry Sanders

The Browns are 0-3 on Thanksgiving in the Super Bowl era and haven’t played on the holiday since 1989. The last time that happened, they lost to the Lions 13-10 as Sanders ran for 145 yards amid an Offensive Rookie of the Year season. It was a blip in what ended up being a deep playoff run to the AFC Championship Game, where the Browns lost to the Broncos.

NFL.com – No. 27 (up 2 spots)​

Shedeur Sanders became the first Browns rookie QB to win his first start in forever, and it apparently was enough to earn him a second start in Week 13. Beyond that, who knows? But for now, it’s a formula Kevin Stefanski wants to see a little more of. Stefanski kept the guardrails on for most of Sunday’s game, but even in an uneven performance, Sanders’ best magic seemed to happen out of structure. He might never be a perfect system QB, and his fit in Cleveland remains open to debate; still, his effort against the Raiders was a hair more fruitful than a typical Dillon Gabriel showing. Of course, having Myles Garrett and a defense capable of racking up 10 sacks can cover for some QB shortcomings. This team’s best chance of winning down the stretch remains, undoubtedly, with the D.

Sporting News – No. 27 (up 4 spots)​

The Browns got their desired spark from Shedeur Sanders in a most winnable game against the Raiders, taking advantage of their defensive domination with Myles Garrett to make the offensive job much more relaxed for the rookie to shine.

Yahoo Sports – No. 26 (up 2 spots)​

Shedeur Sanders deserves credit for making major strides from his first game to his second. Not to move the goal posts, but it happened against the putrid Raiders. It was still a promising first start and the Browns are making the right call giving him another start in Week 13 vs. the 49ers.

Bleacher Report – No. 27 (up 4 spots)​

We’re not going to overreact to the Cleveland Browns going 1-0 with Shedeur Sanders as their starter, though plenty of folks will probably do just that in the coming days. Sanders looked mostly comfortable in his first start and had a couple of truly impressive throws. Though it all came against a suspect Las Vegas Raiders defense, he did enough to make going back to Dillon Gabriel, when healthy, anything but an easy choice. The rest of Cleveland’s season is all about finding if there’s a viable starting QB on the roster—and whether Myles Garrett can pick up the five sacks needed to break the single-season record.

USA Today – No. 24 (no change)​

If DE Myles Garrett merely averages one sack per game the rest of the way, he’ll finish with 24. Give him some more leads to play with, Shedeur.

Listed below is a summary table of where teams in the AFC North are ranked this week.

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	Bengals​	Browns​	Ravens​	Steelers​
CBS Sports	27​	28​	12​	19​
ESPN	25​	28​	17​	18​
NFL.com	25​	27​	13​	16​
Sporting News	26​	27​	18​	16​
Yahoo Sports	24​	26​	10​	19​
Bleacher Report	24​	27​	12​	18​
USA Today	23​	24​	10​	18​
Average	24.9 (down 0.2)​	26.7 (up 2.3)​	13.1 (down 1.0)​	17.7 (down 1.7)​

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What do you think of the Browns’ ranking this week?

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...ets-elevated-after-shedeur-sanders-qb-upgrade

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns roster: Offensive line projections for 2026

With every good musical band, there are levels. It is not displayed to their endearing music lovers, but it’s there.

The lead singer is the showman, the leader, so to speak, the one everyone looks to so that their fans are satisfied. The drummer is the crazy one, the risk taker, and the most physically gifted. The keyboard player is the tactician and exudes creativity and expects perfection. The lead guitar is the smart one, the craftsman, and most expressive. And the bass guitar player is the quiet one, the least noticed, and the main team player.

RELATED: OFFENSIVE LINE LIMITS OPTIONS FOR OFFENSE

All of this translates to a football team like the Cleveland Browns, precisely, along the offensive side of the ball.

The quarterback is the showman, the running back is the crazy one, the receivers are the tacticians, the tight ends are the most expressive, while the offensive line is the unsung, the team players, and the least noticed (until they commit a foul during a game).

The truth is, every single aspect of the offense is dependent on how the offensive line plays. Every run, every pass attempt, every snap, and every series. If the offensive line is bad, the offense does not move the ball.

Incompletions go up because the quarterback doesn’t have the time to throw. Rushing averages are low since the offensive line cannot open holes. Interceptions increase. So do sacks and pressures and other related stats with words like hurries and knockdowns. First down conversions suffer. The points seen on the scoreboard decrease.

And the ability to add wins to the standings becomes more difficult.

Every offensive line in football isn’t a guard, or a center, or a tackle, or the extended position of tight end. Every offensive line is a group. A unified assemblage of five guys. Yes, any of the cinco can be recognized for their achievements, receive accolades, and become an independent being come contract time. But they are a group. A collection that needs the cohesiveness and assistance of the other four men.

A left guard will work with a left tackle somewhat, and certainly with the center, but this guard also works in concert with the other guards, with pulls, stunts, coverages, and schemes. If the right guard is pulling on a running play, the left guard must know where to shift his defender in front of him so as not to interfere with the flow of the play and everyone else’s blocking assignments.

Offensive tackles are the cornerstone of any running play to the outside, but are basically on an island to themselves on passing downs. Their job is to move the EDGE rusher as far deep as they can so that the pocket remains intact along the outside parameters. Rarely is a guard able to help with a tackle’s blocking since he has his own defender, or a blitzing safety or linebacker, to worry about.

The Browns’ offensive line has basically had the same lineup since 2020, when the pandemic hit. Except for LT Jedrick Wills, the other four guys have been together for years. They know each other. They know what to expect from their group partners and how to communicate effectively without saying too much.

RT Jack Conklin, RG Wyatt Teller, C Ethan Pocic, and LG Joel Bitonio have been the hallmark of the Browns’ offense. In 2022, Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked this group, plus Wills, #2 at season’s end as the best offensive lines in the NFL.

Earlier this year, Dawand Jones was inserted at left tackle while the remainder of the Browns’ offensive line remained identical.

But attrition affects every football squad. Players at various positions get injured, are ruled out for several games, if not for an entire season, and other guys must fill in. Sometimes, the backup will become that gem waiting to be discovered and ends up keeping his starting role. Other times, the young drafted player has to be inserted, and soon it becomes clear that he is not ready for the next level. More development is needed, or a new scenery with a different team, or just can’t cut it in this league, and eventually, the phone calls to his agent cease.

No more direct deposit funds, or cheering crowds, no more autograph requests, or that familiar sweaty grassy smell that permeates the sport of football.

Which circles back to the Browns. This season, the Cleveland offensive line has had its problems.

RELATED: 2025 OFFENSIVE LINE PRESEASON RANKINGS

As of Week 12, the Browns have used seven different offensive line combinations. Every offensive line is not just five guys, but one unit that has to rely on each other and gain continuity and trust. A player must learn the tendencies of his working “neighbor” to thrive.

The Browns play calling is bad but the offensive line is worst.

— The OPTIMIST (@10thstreetblack) November 23, 2025

Sacks continue to be at high numbers. Last season, the Browns allowed the second-most sacks with 66. This year, with six games remaining, Cleveland has allowed 30 sacks and ranked as the #10 most. A good portion of that is attributed to LT Cam Robinson. Do we agree that left tackle is the most important position on the offensive line? For the Browns, this is a liability each game. Before Robinson, both Jones and backup Cornelius Lucas didn’t do much better.

The Top-4 offensive lines so far this year are the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, and Buffalo Bills. What do all of these clubs have in common? No, it’s not a trick question, and you don’t have to write the answer on the top of your Nikes for quick reference. They are all really good ballclubs with winning records. Good teams possess great offensive line groups.

Going into Week 12, the Browns’ offensive line was ranked by (PFF) at #30.

Here are the individual Browns offensive line PFF grades at this point in the 2025 season:

Joel Bitonio – 71.3

Jack Conklin – 57.3

Teven Jenkins – 86.5

Dawand Jones – 32.8

KT Leveston – 44.7

Cornelius Lucas – 42.9

Ethan Pocic – 60.7

Cam Robinson – 44.5

Wyatt Teller – 61.7

Luke Wypler – 30.3

Zak Zinter – not enough snaps

Let’s be very fair: no quarterback in this league is going to have good stat numbers as long as they are being protected by one of the lowest-ranked offensive lines. And the offense will spit and sputter on game days. Sound familiar?

This year’s offensive line has played pretty badly. And many are in the last year of their Browns contract.

What should be done about this group? Part of the issue is the “Nick Chubb Syndrome.” We, as Browns fans, love these guys, even though their talents may have seen better days, and a separation just might be in the near future. We don’t want to accept that their skills are diminished, and perhaps the franchise doesn’t want to cough up huge chunks of cash for sub-par production.

Here at Dawgs by Nature, we wanted to get together some very good minds who have some sort of Browns affiliation to discuss what the team should do about the offensive line after this season has concluded.

None of this discussion will focus on next year’s NFL draft or any players the Browns should be interested in during the free agency period. Just straight talk about the current situation of the offensive line, who is on this roster, and what the options are going forward.

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RT Jack Conklin​

Age: 31

2025 cap hit: $5.63 million

Jack Conklin has a revised contract with the Browns that makes him a free agent in 2026 instead of 2027. The restructured deal pays him $10 million for the 2025 season, with up to $2 million in incentives, and removes one year from the four-year extension he signed in 2022.

Analyst: Kristy Acuti​

Administrator: Browns Fans Only (BFO) Facebook fanpage; Sports Informer: Cleveland 13 WCTU; Co-host: TMDE Sports podcast; Co-host: Jersey Chasers podcast

LINK: BFO FACEBOOK PAGE

Q: Should the Browns sign oft-injured Conklin to a new extension?​

I’m thinking that for the right price, we could keep Conklin on, on a year-to-year basis. I personally feel like he’s injury-prone, even though he did start 12 games last season. Jack’s been hit or miss this season already.

So, I think signing him to a one-year deal, and picking up a great offensive tackle in the off-season or draft would be smart to have as maybe a backup or even starting in front of Conklin. I like Conklin a lot. I think he’s still got some gas in the tank, just worried about his knees.

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RG Wyatt Teller​

Age: 30

2025 cap hit: $12.45 million

Wyatt Teller inked a four-year extension in 2021 for $56.8 million. It expires this year. He has publicly stated he prefers another extension and would like to end his career with Cleveland.

Analyst: Kenny “Mac” MacDonald​

Ottawa Browns Backers

LINK: OTTAWA BROWNS BACKERS

Q: Teller has expressed his desire to sign one more extension and retire with Cleveland. His deal is up after this season. If you were the GM, would you re-sign him, and if so, for how many years?​

The offensive line needs a change. Whether in sports or business, the same principles can apply, and one lesson I learned comes from a classic model used in team-building: Bruce Tuckman’s stages of group development. The Browns’ offensive line has gone through a full lifecycle over the past four seasons, and it mirrors Tuckman’s model almost perfectly. What began as a talented unit coming together under Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski quickly moved through the classic stages: the “forming of a new identity” in 2020, the “storming phase” as injuries and inconsistencies tested the group, the “norming stretch” as roles solidified, and ultimately the “performing stage,” when this line operated as one of the best in football.

But like every high-functioning group, the “adjourning stage” eventually arrives—the moment when it’s time to break things apart and start over. At the end of this season, that’s exactly where the Browns will be. Three of the five starters are headed toward contract uncertainty. Joel Bitonio is nearing the end of a Hall of Fame-caliber career, Conklin is recovering from another significant injury, and Ethan Pocic’s long-term future is unclear. This isn’t a situation where Cleveland can simply patch things up. It’s a near-complete reset.

That means the Browns must now shift into building a brand-new “Forming” stage for the next iteration of their offensive line. There is some youth, size, contract stability, and scheme versatility waiting in the wings, depending on how the coaching staff evaluates its developing players. Still, Cleveland needs a veteran tone-setter to help guide the line through its next evolution. If I’m choosing only one expiring lineman to stay and lead this transition, it’s Wyatt Teller.

Teller is 30 years old and is in the final year of the four-year, $56.8 million extension he signed in 2021. He has publicly stated he wants to retire in Cleveland, perhaps a hometown discount? While his performance has been up and down the last two seasons, Teller remains a violent, high-impact run blocker and one of the emotional engines of the offensive line.

Wyatt Teller pancakes are so back pic.twitter.com/f1Wevukkqz

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 9, 2025

Re-signing Teller isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about stabilizing the next phase of the Browns’ offensive line while maintaining a physical identity during a period of transition. It’s also about leadership, especially as the team prepares for life after Bitonio. Teller’s next contract shouldn’t – and won’t -, match his previous $14.2 million per-year average, but he still holds real value as a bridge between eras.

A reasonable extension would be two years at around $18–20 million total, with $10–12 million guaranteed and a structure that keeps the first-year cap hit manageable. This rewards Teller for what he continues to bring, protects the team from long-term risk, and aligns with his desire to remain a Brown for life. More importantly, it provides continuity during a period when the offensive line is undergoing significant change.

Keeping Teller accomplishes several things at once: it maintains leadership during the new Forming stage, preserves a core of physicality in the run game, offers stability for younger teammates, and brings needed toughness and attitude to a line that will soon be reshaped. In short, if the Browns are only retaining one of their expiring linemen, Teller is the right choice to help construct the team’s next great offensive line.

The 2025 Browns offensive line is closing a chapter. But as the team steps into its next Tuckman cycle and begins forming a new unit, the combination of emerging players and Wyatt Teller as the veteran bridge sets the Browns up to rebuild the room the right way—strong, stable, and ready to grow into its next identity.

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C Ethan Pocic​

Age: 30

2025 cap hit: $7.77 million

Ethan Pocic is under a three-year, $18 million contract with the Browns, which includes $10 million guaranteed. 2025 is the final year of that deal.

Analyst: EZ Weav​

DBN Staff

Q: Po has played well for the Browns but has never been named to a Pro Bowl. His contract is up this year. Re-sign him? If so, what would be the contract duration and terms? Let him go? Trade him?​

The Browns will have a decision to make regarding Ethan Pocic, who has been holding down the position really since J.C. Tretter retired. It was supposed to be Nick Harris’ gig to inherit, but an injury to him before the 2022 season opened the door for Pocic, who subsequently took the reins and has as yet not relinquished them.

Center was not his original position, and he’s not really built like one (not very many or 6′-6” or taller). With Billy Callahan as offensive line coach, Pocic flourished. And like all the other offensive linemen, their performance has seemed to drop off after Cally’s departure. Last year, Pocic was pretty terrible – full stop. But then again, some pretty weird stuff was happening all year with that Ken Dorsey offense, and he does seem to have moved back towards competency in 2025 (not that you’d know it based on the overall offensive performance).

None of this is to say Pocic’s been “good” per se, but center is one of those positions where “good enough” can get you by just fine, and for the most part, he’s been good enough. I will note here that because of his height, he might have issues getting low on some of the short yardage situations that have been sort of automatic for a lot of teams around the league with the popularity of the “brotherly shove” (personal standards forbid me from utilizing the other more popularized term for this play). To be sure, our short yardage efforts this year (and last) have been less than stellar, and the center probably needs to be part of that corrective effort. That said, Jacoby Brissett seemed to do pretty well with him, but then again, Brissett seems uniquely gifted for that exact play.

The contract is whatever – doesn’t really move the needle one way or the other. If you don’t know how the Browns play the cap game, it is the case that we can pretty much sign whoever we want for whatever we want, and have spent more money than any other team in the league over the last five years by a WIDE margin. The “whether or not” to keep Pocic is purely a qualitative formulation, not one that needs to factor in cap considerations (and yes, the dastardly Watson contract notwithstanding).

Therefore, I personally would probably be okay with bringing him back for something like what he just got. Maybe the third year has an out-option built in because we like doing that. However, I don’t think he’s penciled in as the starter, but instead competes with Luke Wypler and anyone else we bring in via draft, free agency, or trade. If he wins, he wins (and if we do what a lot of people want to do and bring back Callahan, that stands a much better shot IMO). But this is a position we can probably upgrade and probably should. It’s just not really a huge deal if we don’t, or, really, if we do.

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LG Joel Bitonio​

Age: 34

2025 cap hit: $11.9 million

Joel Bitonio signed a three-year, $48 million extension in 2021, which at the time made him the highest-paid guard in the NFL. 2025 is his final season. The contract has since been restructured in August 2023 to create salary cap space for the team.

Brownstronaut​

Cody Boyles​

LINK: BROWNSTRONAUT FACEBOOK PAGE

Q: What is the most likely scenario with Bitonio – retire, or play another season? ​

Honestly, I think Bitonio gives it one more year before he thinks about hanging it up. He’s still playing really well, and he’s the longest-tenured Brown. You can tell he cares way too much about this team to just dip after a cap-adjusted season. Plus, as Stefanski said, they added a golf simulator to the training facility.

My guess? He runs it back for 2026, sees how his body feels, and then decides if that’s the last ride. But I don’t see him walking away just yet.

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LT Dawand Jones​

Age: 24

2025 cap hit: $1.24 million

Dawand Jones is on his rookie contract, a four-year, $4.63 million deal with a total of $792,336 in guarantees. The contract was signed on May 22, 2023, after he was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.

Analyst: Bearded Browns podcast​

Dr. Chad Mediate​

LINK: BEARDED BROWNS PODCAST

Q: The Browns have Jones signed on the cheap with one year left. However, he has an injury history. Should Cleveland retain him, or move on?​

The veteran-laden offensive line for the Browns is in flux, and the once reliable five-man front that began the season as starters now faces questions at every spot. The youngest piece of this unit has as many questions as any of them. Dawand Jones, the once-promising young fourth-rounder, is in the third year of his rookie contract.

He opened his career with an unexpectedly solid performance on the right side in place of Conklin, including a season highlighted by an absolute brick wall effort against one of the league’s best rushers in T. J. Watt. He has shown he is a capable pass blocker on the right flank, while still needing significant growth in his run blocking. Since that encouraging start, though, Jones has been marred by injury and setbacks.

As a doctor of physical therapy focused on sports injuries and recovery, his collection of knee issues is especially concerning because I fear these will limit his long-term trajectory. Each of his first three seasons has ended with him on injured reserve, and at this point, depending on him to return and lock down either tackle spot would be irresponsible of the franchise. Still, beneath the injuries, the talent and the developmental framework remain. Going into next year, on the final year of his contract, he will be part of the plan, but to what extent is unclear.

I expect that he will enter next season with no more than the role of a backup swing tackle, as he cannot be counted as a starter. He should be given the chance to compete with a solid veteran or top-level rookie and grow. I would focus on the right tackle position, but have him ready to jump in at either side as a backup.

Best case scenario after a year of health and development, he shows enough to extend and carve out a future at the tackle position, leaving them at worst a solid backup who will certainly get his chances. At best, the right tackle we saw him hold down that position for most of 2023.

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How do you see the Browns offensive linemen’s situations playing out after the season?

Share your thoughts in the comment section below

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...browns-roster-offensive-line-projections-2026