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[Cleveland Browns]

Cleveland Browns fans hoping to finish the season witnessing history

At the start of the season, we expected to see this match-up again. How things have changed. | Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

During the season, Cleveland Browns fans vote in SB Nation Reacts to express their confidence level in the team or their thoughts on other topics.

The Browns are coming off a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although we have polled the fan confidence each week, the last time we reported it was two weeks ago, following the team’s loss to the Bears. In the week after that, when Cleveland lost a close game to the Bills, fan confidence increased by 17 percentage points up to 47%. And then after the win against Pittsburgh, it remained steady at 47%. Between Weeks 13-18, the team’s confidence has basically remained the same. It’s been elevated since Shedeur Sanders gave fans a reason to stay interested in another losing season. Our opponents this week, the Cincinnati Bengals, only have 25% confidence from their fanbase.

We asked one other question this week, which is whether DE Myles Garrett will get a sack this week (which would break the record if its a full sack). 81% of fans think it’ll happen, even though he was shut out last week.

If we go by history against the Bengals:

2025: 1/1 in games with a sack
2024: 1/2 in games with a sack
2023: 1/1 in games with a sack
2022: 2/2 in games with a sack

In his last 6 games against the Bengals, Garrett has a sack in 5 of them. The Bengals tend to throw the ball a lot, and that type of philosophy often comes with some sacks that are given up. Let’s hope it happens again this week.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...oping-to-finish-the-season-witnessing-history

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns updated 2026 NFL Draft order: Current 1st-round pick after Week 18

With two weeks remaining in the 2025 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns were “fighting” for the top spot in the 2026 NFL draft order. Two wins later, versus AFC North rivals, and the fight was actually on the field, not just for draft positioning. Week 18’s victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, after knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17, kept the Browns from moving up in the draft order but secured a two-win improvement from last season at 5-12.

DE Myles Garrett set the single-season sack record (with DT Shelby Harris showing how hilarious he is) and K Andre Szmyt found redemption from his Week 1 miss.

Following the completion of the early slate of Sunday games in Week 18, Cleveland is currently slotted to select sixth overall, after a Washington Commanders win against the Philadelphia Eagles moved the pick one spot from seventh overall.

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Updated 2026 NFL Draft order​

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Cincinnati Bengals
10. Kansas City Chiefs
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Los Angeles Rams (from the Atlanta Falcons)
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15. New York Jets (from the Indianapolis Colts)
16. Baltimore Ravens
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings (Final spot that is certain after Week 18, remainder will be decided by the NFL playoff results)
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Dallas Cowboys (from the Green Bay Packers)
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Philadelphia Eagles
23. Los Angeles Chargers
24. Buffalo Bills
25. Chicago Bears
26. San Francisco 49ers
27. Houston Texans
28. Cleveland Browns (from the Jacksonville Jaguars)
29. Los Angeles Rams
30. Denver Broncos
31. New England Patriots
32. Seattle Seahawks

The playoff teams will not have their order locked in place until they are eliminated from the postseason, including where the Browns pick from the Jaguars will be slotted. The final game of Week 18, the Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Baltimore Ravens, will not impact Cleveland’s 2026 NFL draft order.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...ft-order-2026-updated-1st-round-picks-week-18

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns HC search: Top 3 options includes Robert Saleh if Kevin Stefanski is fired

With the Cleveland Browns likely to move on from head coach Kevin Stefanski, there are a variety of directions the organization could choose to go in to fill that vacancy.

Grant Udinski

Grant Udinski, current offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars, has quickly risen as an impressive offensive mind in this league at such a young age. In 2024, he served as the assistant quarterbacks coach and assistant offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, giving him experience working with diverse quarterback rooms and maximizing their potential. This season in Jacksonville, he helped clinch a playoff berth while continuing to develop Trevor Lawrence in the offense. With his offensive success in this league, he would be a compelling candidate for the Browns.

Robert Saleh

Robert Saleh is regarded as one of the league’s top defensive minds and has enjoyed major success this season as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator. His stint as the head coach of the New York Jets may have led some people to question his ability to lead a team; however, the organization was plagued by significant dysfunction at the time, which contributed to the team’s struggles. Saleh deserves a second chance at leading a team. Cleveland may want to change things up and bring a defensive-minded leader to the team, rather than an offensive-minded one like Stefanski. If that is the case, Saleh could be the right fit.

Joe Brady

Current Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady should be someone that the Browns have their eye on. Brady started with the Bills as their quarterbacks coach in 2022 and was then promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023. The Bills’ offense has thrived under his leadership, highlighted by an MVP season from Josh Allen. Brady is another young, energetic leader who would not come into this role with prior head coaching experience. A move like this could provide the Browns with the fresh perspective that they so desperately need.

Let me know what you think in the comments – Who should be the top options in the Browns Head Coach search?

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...ch-options-robert-saleh-kevin-stefanski-fired

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns GM: Starting QB for 2026 is still an unknown

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry acknowledged on Monday what everyone who watched the team play this season already knew full well.

No, it’s not how difficult it is to win with an ownership group that can’t get out of its own way, but rather that the Browns likely do not currently have a viable NFL-level starting quarterback at their disposal. (They don’t, but let’s give them the benefit of the doubt for just a moment.)

That won’t be Kevin Stefanski’s problem anymore after he was “relieved of his duties” earlier in the day. But the new guy who will occupy the head coach’s office will certainly be interested, especially since it is an accepted fact that you can’t win in the NFL if you don’t have a quarterback.

And make no mistake, the Browns do not currently have a quarterback on the roster who is deserving of being anywhere near the starter’s role this fall. (Time expired on the benefit of the doubt.)

The two most likely candidates, seeing as how veteran Deshaun Watson has certainly played his last down for the Browns, are Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, who both just wrapped up what was, even by the standards of the Browns, an interesting and bizarre season.

Gabriel made six starts from Week 5 through halftime of the Week 11 game before turning things over to Sanders for the final seven starts of the season. So that gives everyone involved an even data set to evaluate what the rookies were able to accomplish.

And, oh dear, do those numbers not look good.

Looking at the raw numbers projected over a 17-game schedule, Gabiel would have finished the year completing 59.5 percent of his passes for 1,593 yards, 12 touchdowns, three interceptions, and 32 sacks. Sanders, meanwhile, projected out to a 56.6 completion percentage, 2,975 yards, 15 touchdowns, 21 interceptions, and 49 sacks.

Going deeper into the more advanced numbers, according to Sumer Sports:

• Gabriel finished with a Total EPA of -43.52, an EPA/Play of -0.20, a Pass EPA of -43.95, and a QBR of 31.
• Sanders checked in with a Total EPA of -59.50, an EPA/Play of -0.23, a Pass EPA of -70.23, and a QBR of 19.

None of those numbers screams “they have cemented their place for 2026,” which Berry emphasized during his media appearance on Monday:

“We’re going to do our work on the quarterback market. It’s too important of a position, and it’s something that has to be solidified. I can’t sit here and tell you today, you know, whether the solution for or the starter in 2026 is internal or external. But it’s something that we’re going to work through over the next several weeks. And quite honestly, the new head coach will also have a lot of input into that as well.”

That dovetails with the statement from the team attributed to Berry earlier in the day, stating he expects to “develop what will be a young offense with heavy investment over the next six months.”

Fortunately, Berry should have the cap space (possibly around $69 million when all is said and done) and the draft picks (10 overall and two in the first round) to achieve that stated goal.

Whether or not that “heavy investment” results in wins remains to be seen, but it seems as clear as ever that the Browns are going to be back in the quarterback market come free agency and the draft.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...-still-unknown-shedeur-sanders-dillon-gabriel

 

[Cleveland Browns]

The Browns’ new head coach must be offensive-minded

With Kevin Stefanski’s departure, the Cleveland Browns will most certainly be bringing in a wide range of candidates to interview and find the next head coach of this team. They could pursue a coach with head coaching experience or take a chance on someone who brings a fresh perspective without prior head coaching baggage. Additionally, they will need to decide whether they want an offensive or defensive-minded head coach.

Given the weaknesses of the Browns’ current roster, it makes the most sense to hire an offense-minded head coach. Cleveland’s offense has been a limiting factor in recent seasons, making it essential to hire someone with a clear vision who can implement it quickly. This team has been lacking an offensive identity, and their new coach must bring this to the table.

The starting quarterback of the Browns in 2026 will most likely either be Shedeur Sanders or another young quarterback. Creating stability for this quarterback in a new system will be critical for their development. When a team doesn’t hire an offense-minded head coach, it needs to bring in an offensive coordinator to call plays. There is risk in this structure – the team could lose its play-caller after one good season. If the head coach is the one calling the plays, they can guarantee continuity from one season to the next on that side of the ball.

Cleveland already has significant defensive talent, and the coordinator role there is likely to attract strong interest from defensive coaches. It should be easier to plug a coordinator into the defensive system than it would be to do the same on the other side of the ball.

Let me know what you think in the comments – Should the Browns’ new head coach be offensive-minded?

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...8/browns-new-head-coach-search-offensive-mind

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns add fast rising defensive coach to head coaching interview list

The NFL head coaching carousel got sped up, and everyone is even more excited with the inclusion of John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens in the mix. The Cleveland Browns do not have the most valuable open position on the market, but they should leave no stone unturned, including Harbaugh, as they look for their next head coach, replacing Kevin Stefanski, who has a strong market for his services already.

Tuesday afternoon came news that the Browns had requested an interview with their former offensive coordinator, and the Ravens current offensive coordinator, Todd Monken. Tuesday night added a defensive-minded option to the list, one we noted on Monday, in Seattle Seahawks DC Aden Durde:

The Browns have requested permission to interview Seahawks DC Aden Durde for their vacant HC job, source said.The native of England came to the NFL as a Cowboys coaching intern and has risen quickly.

— Ian Rapoport (@rapsheet.bsky.social) 2026-01-06T23:28:18.338Z

Barry Shuck provided a great introduction for Durde for DBN:

Durde came to the NFL via the International Player Pathway program, as the British linebacker played in NFL Europe and ended up as the head of football development at NFLUK from 2015 to 2018. Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn hired him as their new defensive quality control coach, which made him the first-ever British full-time coach in NFL history.

He then had a coaching stint with the Dallas Cowboys before going to Seattle in 2024, where his defense in his first year ranked #14.

Where does the Seahawks defense sit this year?

• Passing: #12
• Rushing: #3
• NFL ranking overall: #6

Durde is a rising head coaching candidate whose defense emphasizes a strong defensive line that will collapse the pocket, a unit focused on consistent effort, stopping the run, and the use of versatile defensive backs.

---

How would you feel about a young defensive coach as the next head coach in Cleveland?

Share your thoughts on Durde in the comment section below

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...wns-head-coaching-search-interview-aden-durde

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Does Shedeur Sanders impact who gets hired? If so, should they have kept Stefanski?

There is significant uncertainty heading into the 2026 season surrounding both the head coaching position and the starting quarterback. While Shedeur Sanders showed growth as the starter, the team has not committed to him moving forward. When Jimmy Haslam was asked about Sanders’ future with the team, he kept his answer vague, stating that there was a lot of work to be done on the offensive side of the ball.

As the organization evaluates quarterback options via free agency, trades, and the draft, Sanders’ presence is not expected to factor into the head coaching decision.

One of the more important aspects the team should focus on when looking for the next coach is someone who has experience developing young and inexperienced quarterbacks. Whether it’s Sanders, a rookie, or a bridge quarterback, some level of development will likely be required. The head coach must be willing to invest their time into this.

If the team was committed to Sanders as the starter moving forward, they may have been more likely to keep Kevin Stefanski around. Stefanski has already spent a lot of time and effort into developing Sanders, and creating stability for the rookie quarterback would have been helpful. Given that there’s uncertainty regarding Sanders, it makes it much easier to have a fresh start with the head coach as well.

Let me know what you think in the comments – Does Shedeur impact who gets hired? If so, should they have kept Stefanski?

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...s-hired-if-so-should-they-have-kept-stefanski

 

[JJ]

OH MAN where do I even start with this dumpster fire of a situation in Cleveland lmaooo

First off - HANDS OFF JOE BRADY. Seriously Cleveland, you've ruined enough good things, stay away from our offensive coordinator. The man is a big reason Josh Allen is playing at an MVP level and our offense is absolutely COOKING right now. Go find your own guy. I swear if the Browns poach Brady I'm gonna lose it.

Now let me actually talk about your mess here...

Look, I feel for Browns fans, I really do. You guys have been through it. But let's be real - the Haslams are the problem and always have been. You could hire Bill Belichick himself and that ownership group would find a way to screw it up.

As for the QB situation - those numbers for both Gabriel and Sanders are BRUTAL. A QBR of 19 for Sanders? That's legitimately horrific. And 21 interceptions projected over a full season? Yikes. Neither of these guys look like the answer right now.

The Saleh option is interesting though. Dude got a raw deal in New York with all that dysfunction. He's a legit defensive mind and honestly might thrive with a fresh start. But here's the thing - you just fired an offensive-minded coach and your offense is in shambles. Why would you go defensive now when you desperately need someone to fix that side of the ball?

Durde is a name I don't know much about but that Seattle defense has been solid. Still think you need offense though.

My honest advice? Whatever you do, leave Joe Brady alone and maybe focus on not being the Browns for once. Good luck with that lol

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns now have another QB to consider in the NFL Draft

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry announced this week that the team will make a “heavy investment” in the offense over the next six months.

That investment will likely include a renewed attempt to fix the quarterback issue, which is as bad as ever in spite of the best efforts of rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

During most of the 2025 season, the Browns were in hot contention for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, which would have allowed the team its pick of the available quarterbacks.

That dream died in the final weeks of the season, and the Browns now hold the No. 6 overall selection with three teams – Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals – ahead of them and also in need of a quarterback, which take Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore (if he declares for the draft) off the board.

Those are not the only quarterbacks who will be available in the draft, of course, and another name was added on Wednesday when Alabama’s Ty Simpson announced he was declaring for the draft.

BREAKING: Ty Simpson is declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/hrDIJR40oK

— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) January 7, 2026

Simpson spent four years with the Crimson Tide, but only took over the starter’s role this past season. He finished the year completing 64.5 percent of his passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just five interceptions.

Those are nice numbers, but there was a sharp divide in his production as in his final four games, Simpson’s completion percentage dropped to 57 percent, and he averaged just 158 yards per game. Not all of that was his fault, of course, as Alabama had one of the worst run games in college football, but it is still something to consider.

That is especially true given that Simpson only made 15 starts in college, which has historically been a red flag for quarterbacks entering the NFL, especially if they are projected to be a first-round selection.

QBs with 15 or fewer college starts who went 1st round over the last decade. It's not a disqualifier, but still tough.

Anthony Richardson
Mitchell Trubisky
Dwayne Haskins https://t.co/Qb8ZYvkSbT

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 7, 2026

According to Dane Brugler at The Athletic, in the past decade, there have been three quarterbacks who fall into that category:

• Mitchell Trubisky, No. 2 overall to the Chicago Bears in 2017
• Dwayne Haskins, No. 15 overall to the Washington Commanders in 2019
• Anthony Richardson, No. 4 overall to the Indianapolis Colts in 2023

In case anyone is wondering, those are not the type of quarterbacks that anyone should be taking in the first round.

Get ready for the "He doesn't have enough college starts!" debates with QB Ty Simpson.

It'll be the most talked about storyline of the draft process. pic.twitter.com/1u4sNvp1UR

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 11, 2025

Brugler does highlight that Simpson could be an outlier, however, given that he did spend four years at Alabama, and he is a coach’s kid, as his father, Jason, has been the head coach at the University of Tennessee-Martin since 2006. Having grown up around the game could give Sampson an edge that those other quarterbacks did not possess.

All of this is relevant to the Browns as they have been linked to Simpson in multiple mock drafts with the expectation that they will use one of their two first-round selections on him. And current offensive coordinator spent time with Simpson at Alabama in 2023, so he would certainly have an opinion.

That could work, especially if the Browns pair him with a veteran quarterback and commit to having Simpson sit for his first year and get up to speed. But patience is not always a strong suit with this franchise.

But there is also a risk in hoping that Simpson is the exception to the rule that inexperienced college quarterbacks don’t find success in the NFL. And that risk might be too much, even for a team as desperate for a quarterback as the Browns.

---

What do you think? Should the Browns take a shot on Simpson if he is there when they are on the clock? Let us know in the comments!

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...consider-alabama-ty-simpson-in-2026-nfl-draft

 

[Cleveland Browns]

Browns sign 6 to reserve/futures contracts

The Cleveland Browns have stayed busy this week after closing out another disappointing season on Sunday.

The club fired head coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons, kicking off what owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam declared to be “120 days (that) are crucial for the organization.” That time frame will also reportedly include a “heavy investment” on the offensive side of the ball, according to general manager Andrew Berry.

It is going to be a busy time for Berry as he leads the search for a head coach, with a pool of in-house candidates, some fresh faces, and one longtime foe from a division rival. Berry will also resume the latest hunt for a starting quarterback, with the position currently as bad as it has ever been.

Lost in all that was the announcement that the Browns signed six players to reserve/futures contracts:

• TE Sal Cannella
• G Jack Conley
• WR Luke Floriea
• RB Ahmani Marshall
• T Tyre Phillips
• TE Caden Prieskorn

Teams that have been eliminated from the playoffs are permitted to sign any unrestricted free agent who finished the regular season as a member of the team’s practice squad. This allows teams to secure the rights to the players for training camp without impacting the current 53-man roster. The players generally receive a one-year contract for the league minimum.

Of the six players on the list, Cannella appeared in two games during the season, catching two passes for 11 yards. Floriea is another name that stands out as he had an impressive start to the preseason before suffering a hamstring injury and being released. He eventually made his way back to Cleveland’s practice squad.

Source: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/cleve...s-sign-6-players-to-reserve-futures-contracts