After 5 weeks the Cleveland Browns are in the usual state that the franchise seems to be in on a perpetual basis. Holding a 1-4 record that is tied for the second worst record in the league and finding themselves multiple games outside of the playoff picture despite it being so early in the season. However, despite the poor record there is reason for optimism within the Cleveland organization and fanbase. The defense through five weeks is amongst the best in the NFL, ranking 2nd in yards allowed per game and 1st in overall defense grade according to Pro Football Focus. The offense has, however, failed to hold up its end of the bargain as the team on the offensive side of the ball ranks near the bottom of the league in all the major metrics of offensive production. The reasons for optimism continue with the change at the QB spot from veteran Joe Flacco to now rookie Dillon Gabriel. Flacco at the age of 40 struggled playing for the Browns this season leading one of the weakest offensive attacks in the league. Gabriel is amongst the most decorated QBs in college football history but was a third-round pick for a reason. Standing at under six feet tall while possessing an average arm and average athletic capabilities. Gabriel in his first NFL start with subpar offensive personnel against an elite defensive coordinator in Brian Flores looked solid posting a 94.9 passer rating on over 30 attempts in a narrow loss for Cleveland. If Gabriel can prove to be a standout and play near his full potential as a rookie, then the Browns can perhaps mold into a solid offensive team as the season progresses.
The optimistic beliefs on offense continue with Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson being on the depth chart behind Gabriel as well. Although Sanders fell to the fifth round in the NFL Draft, many state his draft slide was not due to his playing capabilities but rather his personality. Sanders was the consensus number one overall pick entering the 2025 NFL Draft for quite some time, and if he were to come in and live up to that billing, it would bode the Browns well. Deshaun Watson is also set to return from injury at some point during the 2025 season as well. Although Watson, since his off-the-field regressions and since joining the Browns has been mostly a shell of himself as a player, it is not out of the realm of possibility that he recaptures some of his old form. Watson, 5+ seasons ago, consistently performed as one of the premier QBs in the NFL. Watson, before his off-the-field transgressions and before joining the Browns, was viewed as one of the premier QBs in the game even drawing comparisons to Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson in that regard. At the ripe age of 30 years old for a QB with now expectations being removed from him, despite his poor play in recent memory, there is no reason that Watson at the age of 30 cannot be the player he was at the age of 25, where he was a perennial MVP candidate. The Browns organization and fanbase should not bank on that occurring but given his relatively young age and his elite performance in his prime, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for that to occur.
The struggles on the offensive side of the ball this season for the Browns is also due to the team lacking strong personnel on the offensive side of the ball outside of the QB position. Through five weeks the team’s offensive line is ranked amongst the worst in the NFL. Through five weeks the team is graded 30th in pass blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus, 25th in run blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus, while also ranking 30th in pass blocking efficiency according to Pro Football Focus. Entering this season, I actually felt as if the Browns had a pretty talented offensive line, but it has failed to live up to expectations thus far. As the season progresses, I expect the offensive line to improve and perhaps mold into a solid unit. Starting left guard Joel Bitonio is amongst the premier starting guards in the NFL and has performed at an elite level thus far in 2025 as well. Starting center Ethan Pocic has an elite ceiling but has been known to struggle with consistency in his career. Pocic has been average thus far in 2025, but he certainly has what it takes to capture stronger offensive form as the season progresses. Starting right guard Wyatt Teller also has an elite ceiling as a starter but also struggles with consistency from time to time. Teller has played well thus far in 2025 but has certainly not played to his full potential either. Those three interior offensive linemen for the Browns have played the overwhelming majority of snaps for Cleveland on the interior of the offensive front this season. From a pure talent standpoint, those three players starting at both the guard spots and at center, rank up there with anyone in the NFL. Bitonio is consistently elite and has performed at an elite level thus far in 2025. The remaining two interior offensive line starters have an elite ceiling but have been known to struggle with consistency. The remaining two players in Pocic and Teller have looked solid thus far this season but certainly have room to grow. If Pocic and Teller can capture stronger form as the season progresses with the Browns newly hired offensive line coach gaining more experience in the role as well, the Browns could have amongst the premier interior offensive lines in the NFL. The Browns also have maybe the premier interior reserve offensive lineman in the NFL in Teven Jenkins. While also having guard Zak Zinter available to step in from a reserve standpoint as well, who was taken highly in the third round of the 2024 draft.
However, the tackle spots for the Cleveland Browns have been highly questionable thus far in 2025. At the crucially important left tackle spot the team through just five weeks has seen three different players take starter snaps for them in 2025. Left tackle Dawand Jones, who was likely better suited as a backup to begin with, started the first two games at left tackle before suffering a season ending injury early in week 3. Jones even in the time he spent healthy on the field was graded as one of the weakest offensive lineman in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus. Cornelius Lucas then started in his place at left tackle in week 3, with K.T Leveston starting weeks 4 and 5 at left tackle. Both Lucas and Leveston starting in place of Jones graded as amongst the weakest offensive lineman in the NFL through five weeks according to Pro Football Focus, just as Jones did as well. The Browns left tackle spot through five weeks has been arguably the weakest in the NFL. Tackle Cornelius Lucas, although struggling mightily thus far in 2025, has shown throughout his career he can be a very good B to B+ caliber player on a consistent basis. As the season progresses perhaps Lucas can recapture some of his old form as he adjusts to his role with the Browns. K.T Leveston, who was a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has struggled in his first career snaps thus far in 2025. Perhaps as he adjusts to life in the NFL, he can provide Cleveland with a capable player at the tackle spot as well. Early in the 2025 season after seeing the offensive tackle struggles the team was having, Cleveland proceeded to sign tackles Thayer Munford Jr and Cam Robinson. Both Munford Jr and Robinson have shown a high ceiling as NFL players, but both have also been known to struggle with consistency as well. The Browns, with their poor tackle production thus far in 2025 will be counting on either or both players to play to near their potential. The Browns offensive tackle concerns continue at the right tackle spot with starter Jack Conklin missing most of the season thus far. Conklin is amongst the better starting tackles in the NFL, being a first team all pro on multiple occasions. Conklin, even in his time on the field in 2025, has struggled to catch his stride and has played less than 100 snaps in five games due to injury. Cornelius Lucas and K.T Leveston have taken Conklin’s place starting at right tackle with him injured. As stated previously, Lucas and Leveston have performed at a poor level thus far in the 2025 season. With Conklin missing most of the season thus far and underwhelming even in his time on the field, and his backups performing poorly as well, the Browns have had amongst the weakest production in the NFL come out of their right tackle spot thus far this season.
Overall, the Browns on the offensive line have seen their unit produce at amongst the weakest levels in the NFL thus far in 2025. Despite the poor production of the offensive line for the Browns thus far in 2025, the unit is very talented. The struggles that the Browns have seen on the offensive front this season can be attributed to having a rookie offensive line coach along with injuries and players adjusting to being on a new team. From an interior offensive line standpoint, the Browns have amongst the most talented interior offensive line units in the league. If the interior offensive line unit can play to near its full potential with the players who struggle with consistency recapturing strong form, the Browns could have amongst the premier interior offensive lines in the sport. The production that the Browns have gotten from their tackle spots has been arguably the weakest in the NFL thus far. However, as newly acquired players get more adjusted to life with the Browns and starting right tackle Jack Conklin gets healthier, the Browns have what it takes to have very good tackle play. The biggest thing that will likely dictate the improvement of the offensive front will be the rookie offensive line coach gaining experience in the role. Although the Browns have seen their offensive line perform at a poor level thus far in 2025, they certainly have what it takes to have amongst the better if not the best offensive lines in the NFL as the season progresses.
From a skill position player standpoint, it was concerning for the Browns entering this season and those concerns have come to light thus far in the 2025 campaign. Entering this season, I felt as if the Browns’ combination of skill position players was in the definitive discussion for being the weakest in the NFL. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy I felt was talented but certainly not a true number one wide out and was an above average #2 wide out at the very best. But despite his limitations he entered the season as the team’s number one wide receiver on the depth chart. Jeudy has graded poorly thus far in the 2025 season in large part due to the inept Cleveland QB situation and offensive line. Tight David Njoku is talented but in totality is just a good but not a great player at the position. Njoku this season has also graded poorly according to Pro Football Focus, again in large part due to the weak surrounding offensive circumstances. Outside of Njoku and Jeudy who are good but not great to begin with, entering this season I felt as if the Browns were mostly bereft of talent from a skill position standpoint. Running back Jerome Ford was talented but not special and running back Quinshon Judkins was taken very highly in the second round of the 2025 draft but was totally unproven. Ford hasn’t seen the field much in 2025 due to injury and Judkins has been very effective thus far in 2025 grading amongst the elite running backs in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus.
Judkins thus far albeit in a limited sample size has proven to be a very capable number one back in the NFL. Through five weeks, Judkins is graded (6/57) in terms of an offense grade among qualified running backs in the league. Jerome Ford, when healthy is a very good number two running back as well as Ford accumulated over 500 rushing yards in 2024 on a resounding 5.4 yards an attempt. 2025 fourth rounder Dylan Sampson has looked solid in limited NFL snaps and can provide the Browns with some depth out of the backfield. 2025 third round pick tight end Harold Fanin Jr has shown he is capable in limited NFL action thus far. Perhaps Fanin Jr, as he gains more NFL experience can prove to be a solid complementary tight end to Njoku as the season progresses. Outside of Jeudy the Browns are reliant on former high draft picks to give them production from a wide out standpoint. 2024 third rounder Malachi Corley has not seen the field much accumulating only 3 career receptions but was still taken so highly for a reason. 2023 third rounder Cedric Tillman and 2022 third rounder David Bell have struggled in the NFL but perhaps as they gain more experience they can come into their own as well. The Browns do have some talent from a skill position standpoint but in totality their skill position grouping ranks among the weaker ones in the league.
The Browns have arguably the best defense in the NFL through five weeks, allowing the second fewest yards per game and being graded as the best overall defense in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus. Although they only rank 21st in points per game allowed, much of that is due to playing elite offenses such as Baltimore and Detroit along with the Browns’ offense and special teams putting the defense in bad spots if not directly giving up points to begin with. If the Browns want to be a postseason threat, they will need the offense to step it up. Kevin Stefanski is a very strong head coach with an offensive background being in only a select group of coaches ever to win multiple NFL head coach of the year honors. However, given the offensive struggles the team has experienced thus far in 2025, maybe he is being overrated and his coach of the year awards are in large part due to circumstance, in inheriting a very weak Browns team that he had the chance to turn around. But regardless he is at least a very capable offensive minded head coach who also serves as the offensive coordinator of the team. The Browns will need one of the three QBs in Gabriel, Sanders, or Watson to give them strong production on a consistent basis. The offensive line has drastically underperformed relative to its talent level but is still very talented. As the season progresses, the offensive line can certainly emerge as one of the better units in the sport. Cleveland’s running back room is borderline elite and should remain in good shape as the season progresses. The receivers of the team were a concern as the season approached and remain one as the season has begun. But Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku are talented, and the team has four former third rounders at wide receiver and tight end who can give the team strong play if one or more starts to fulfill their potential.
If Gabriel, Sanders, or Watson can be a high-level player at QB, if the offensive line reaches near its potential, and if the receiving core can just be solid. Then the Browns can be a strong offensive team that may not be explosive but one that is certainly capable of complementing maybe the premier defense in the league. The Browns could have a top 10 caliber offensive line with an elite running back room as well. Cleveland could then be a power running team that shortens the game for its elite defense. Gabriel is known for being a very efficient QB who does not make many mistakes. If Gabriel is efficient, effective and doesn’t turn the ball over, it will complement the Browns being a power running team that allows their defense to win games. A similar analogy can be made for Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson, dual threat QBs who could come in and make the Browns an even stronger running team that shortens the game for their elite defense to take over.
