(TE David Njoku – AP Photo)
Key Players Returning:
QB Deshaun Watson, RB Nick Chubb, RB/KR Jerome Ford, WR Amari Cooper, WR Elijah Moore, TE David Njoku, OC Ethan Pocic, OG Joel Bitonio, OG Wyatt Teller, OT Jack Conklin, OT Jedrick Wills, DE Myles Garrett, DE Ogbo Okoronkwo, DE Za’Darius Smith, DE Alex Wright, DT Shelby Harris, DT Maurice Hurst II, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, LB Tony Fields II, LB Jeremaih Owusu-Koramoah, CB Denzel Ward, CB Martin Emerson Jr., NB Greg Newsome II, FS Juan Thornhill, SS D’Anthony Bell, SS Grant Delpit, KR Pierre Strong Jr., PR James Proche II, PK Dustin Hopkins, and PT Corey Bojorquez.
Key Players Departing:
QB Joe Flacco (Colts), DT Jordan Elliott (49ers), LB Jacob Phillips (Texans), LB Sione Takitaki (Patriots), and LB Anthony Walker Jr. (Dolphins).
Key Players Added:
QB Jameis Winston (Saints), RB D’Onta Foreman (Bears), WR Jerry Jeudy (Broncos), OT Hakeem Adeniji (Vikings), DT Quinton Jefferson (Jets), LB Jordan Hicks (Vikings), LB Devin Bush (Seahawks), CB Justin Hardee (Jets), and KR/PR Nyheim Hines (Bills).
(DT Michael Hall Jr. – USA Today Sports)
Draft Picks:
Round 2: Pick 054 – DT Michael Hall Jr. (Ohio State)
Round 3: Pick 085 – OG Zak Zinter (Michigan)
Round 5: Pick 156 – WR Jamari Thrash (Louisville)
Round 6: Pick 206 – LB Nathanial Watson (Mississippi State)
Round 7: Pick 227 – CB Myles Harden (South Dakota)
Round 7: Pick 243 – DT Jowon Briggs (Cincinnati)
2023 Results:
W01 BENGALS W 24-3
W02 @ Steelers L 22-26
W03 TITANS W 27-3
W04 RAVENS L 3-28
Bye Week
W06 49ERS W 19-17
W07 @ Colts W 39-38
W08 @ Seahawks L 20-24
W09 CARDINALS W 27-0
W10 @ Ravens W 33-31
W11 STEELERS W 13-10
W12 @ Denver L 12-29
W13 @ Rams L 19-36
W14 JAGUARS W 31-27
W15 CHICAGO W 20-17
W16 @ Texans W 36-22
W17 JETS W 37-20
W18 @ Bengals L 14-31
WC @ Texans L 14-45
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 11-6 (4th in AFC North)
Home: 6-3
Away: 4-4
North: 3-3
AFC: 8-4
NFC: 3-2
Head Coach: Kevin Stefanski
Cleveland: 37-31
Career: 37-31
Playoffs: 1-2
(RB Nick Chubb – USA Today Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Deshaun Watson (105-171, 1115 yards, 60.3%, 7.9 avg., 8 TD, 8 Int)
Rushing: Jerome Ford (204 car., 813 yards, 4.0 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: David Njoku (81 rec., 882 yards, 10.9 avg., 6 TD)
Yards After Catch: David Njoku (599)
TD’s Scored: Jerome Ford (9)
Sacks: Myles Garrett (14)
Tackles: Jeremiah Owusu-Karomoah (101)
Interceptions: Martin Emerson Jr. (4)
Pass Deflections: Martin Emerson Jr./Greg Newsome II (14)
Tackles For Loss: Jeremiah Owusu-Karomoah (20)
Forced Fumbles: Myles Garrett (4)
Kick Returns: Pierre Strong Jr. (8 ret., 200 yards, 21.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Jaelon Darden (4 ret., 39 yards, 9.8 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Dustin Hopkins (33-36 fg/fga., 92%, 24-26 xp/xpa., 123 pts.)
Punting: Corey Bojorquez (87 punts, 4294 yards, 49.4 avg., 31 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 4 Deshaun Watson
RB: 24 Nick Chubb
WR: 2 Amari Cooper
WR: 8 Elijah Moore
WR: 3 Jerry Jeudy
TE: 85 David Njoku
LT: 71 Jedrick Wills
LG: 75 Joel Bitonio
OC: 55 Ethan Pocic
RG: 77 Wyatt Teller
RT: 78 Jack Conklin
KR: 22 Nyheim Hines
PK: 7 Dustin Hopkins
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 99 Za’Darius Smith
DT: 94 Dalvin Tomlinson
DT: 93 Shelby Harris
DE: 95 Myles Garrett
LB: 28 Jeremiah Owusu-Karomoah
LB: 58 Jordan Hicks
LB: 30 Devin Bush
CB: 21 Denzel Ward
CB: 23 Martin Emerson Jr.
FS: 1 Juan Thornhill
SS: 22 Grant Delpit
PR: 22 Nyheim Hines
PT: 13 Corey Bojorquez
(DE Myles Garrett – AP Photo)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/08 COWBOYS | Cleveland trails the series 8-13. The Browns won (49-38) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and their last series loss (10-35) was at the prior meeting in 2016.
09/15 @ Jaguars | Cleveland trails the series 7-12. The Browns are 2-2 since 2014, and their last series loss (7-19) was in 2017.
09/22 GIANTS | Cleveland leads the series 10-8. The Browns won (20-6) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and their last series loss (13-27) was in 2016.
09/29 @ Raiders | Cleveland trails the series 10-17. The Browns are 1-4 since 2014, and their last series win (23-13) was in 2014.
10/06 @ Commanders | Cleveland leads the series 10-7. The Browns won (24-10) the last meeting between teams in 2022, and their last series loss (20-31) was in 2016.
10/13 @ Eagles | The series is tied 9-9. The Browns won (22-17) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and their last series loss (10-29) was at the prior meeting in 2016.
10/20 BENGALS | Cleveland trails the series 48-53. The Browns are 10-10 since 2014, and their last series home loss (7-31) was in 2017.
10/27 RAVENS | Cleveland trails the series 14-36. The Browns are 6-14 since 2014, and their last series home win (13-3) was in 2022.
11/03 CHARGERS | Cleveland trails the series 9-19-1. The Browns are 1-5 since restarting the series in 2015, and their last series win (20-17) was in 2016.
11/17 @ Saints | Cleveland leads the series 13-6. The Browns are 1-2 since 2014, and their last series win (26-14) was in 2014.
11/21 STEELERS | Cleveland trails the series 39-73-1. The Browns are 6-15 since 2014, and their last series home loss (10-15) was in 2021.
12/02 @ Broncos | Cleveland trails the series 7-25. The Browns are 2-3 since restarting the series in 2015, and their last series win (17-14) was in 2021.
12/08 @ Steelers | The Browns last series regular season road win (33-13) dates back to 2003.
12/15 CHIEFS | Cleveland trails the series 11-15-2. The Browns lost (29-33) the last meeting between teams in 2021, and their last series win (30-7) dates back to 2012.
12/19 @ Bengals | The Browns last series road win (41-16) was in 2021.
12/29 DOLPHINS | Cleveland trails the series 9-12. The Browns lost (17-39) the last meeting between teams in 2022, and their last series win (41-24) was in 2019.
01/05 @ Ravens | The Browns last series road loss (20-23) was in 2022.
Prediction:
Home: 6-2
Road: 5-3
North: 4-2
AFC: 9-3
NFC: 3-2
Overall: 12-5 (2nd in AFC North/6th Seed – Eliminated in Wildcard Round)
Series Histories: Histories are from the inception of the first Super Bowl season through present day.
Meetings prior to 1966 are not included. Playoff wins are included in the year the season took place. For example, if a team won a wildcard game in January of 2024, the game will be listed under the 2023 season.
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