CLEVELAND BROWNS
(Thursday, Oct. 1, 8:15 p.m. at Huntington Bank Field and Sunday, Nov. 1, 1 p.m. at Acriscure Stadium)
Series (including playoffs): Steelers 83-65-1
Last meeting: Browns 13, Steelers 6 (2025 at Cleveland)
Coaching: HC: Todd Monken; OC: Travis Switzer; DC: Mike Rutenberg; STC: Byron Storer
2025: 5-12, fourth in AFC North Division (30th total offense; fourth total defense)
The six-year tenure of head coach Kevin Stefanski came to an end after the Browns finished the season with wins over the Steelers and Bengals to end up 5-12. Overall, Stefanski guided the Browns to a 45-56 record. The high point was 2023 when they finished second in the AFC North at 11-6. In two seasons since, the Browns went 8-26. Last year, the Browns possessed an elite defense but the continued absence of quarterback Deshaun Watson with a torn Achilles' tendon (Oct. 2024), combined with the collapse of the offensive line, hurt the offense and team.
The Browns hired Monken away from the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 28 to become head coach. Monken was the Browns offensive coordinator in 2019 under head coach Freddie Kitchens before becoming the offensive coordinator at the University of Georgia in 2020. He helped the Bulldogs win national championships in 2021 and 2022. Monken became the Ravens offensive coordinator in 2023 and the Ravens finished sixth, first, and 16th in total offense during Monken's three seasons.
Key returnees
* QB Shedeur Sanders was named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie. The fifth-round pick didn't start until Week 12 and guided the 2-8 Browns to a 3-4 finish. Sanders compiled a passer rating of 68.1. Coming out of spring practices, Sanders is considered to be even with Watson for the starting job on opening day.
* CB Denzel Ward last season was named to his fifth Pro Bowl in eight seasons, in spite of career lows in interceptions (one) and passes defensed (nine).
* LB Carson Schwesinger was named 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. The second-round pick out of UCLA made 156 tackles and had two interceptions in 16 starts for the Browns. The 156 tackles led the team and ranked sixth in the NFL.
Key losses
* DE Myles Garrett is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, having won that award twice in the last three years. He was traded to the Rams.
* OG Joel Bitonio retired in a move that completed the decimation of last year's offensive line. LT Cam Robinson remains unsigned as a free agent; C Ethan Pocic is still recovering from a late 2025 Achilles' tendon injury; RG Wyatt Teller left for the Texans in free agency; and RT Jack Conklin was released.
* TE David Njoku struggled with knee injuries the last two seasons and signed a one-year contract with the Chargers in free agency.
* RB Jerome Ford signed a one-year contract with the Commanders in free agency.
* LB Devin Bush Jr. signed a three-year contract with the Bears in free agency after his best pro season. In his final game, Bush made 14 tackles and returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown in a win over the Bengals, and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. It capped a season in which he made 125 tackles.
Offseason additions
* DE/OLB Jared Verse was acquired from the Rams in the Garrett trade. The third-year pro is a former first-round pick who has made two Pro Bowls and has 12 sacks in 34 games.
* OG Zion Johnson was the Browns' most expensive acquisition in free agency. The former Charger signed a three-year deal, most likely to replace Bitonio at LG.
* LB Quincy Williams signed a two-year deal as a free agent and is expected to replace Bush. Williams is a former All-Pro who had four consecutive 100-tackle seasons prior to recording 83 last season.
* C Elgton Jenkins signed a two-year deal as a free agent following his release by the Packers. A two-time Pro Bowler, Jenkins will turn 31 in December.
* RT Tytus Howard was acquired for a fifth-round pick in a trade with the Texans. Howard enters his eighth NFL season with 93 starts.
Days 1 & 2 draft picks
Round 1: OT Spencer Fano, Utah, was the ninth overall pick of the draft and is expected to compete with Dawand Jones to start at left tackle.
Round 1: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M, will compete with Isaiah Bond, Malachi Corley, and James Thrash at slot receiver. The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder caught 61 passes and averaged 15.1 yards per reception for A&M last season. He also averaged 18.2 yards per punt return.
Round 2: WR Denzel Boston, Washington, is expected to replace Cedric Tillman as the starter opposite Jerry Jeudy. The 6-4, 212-pounder had 62 receptions for 881 receiving yards (14.2 yards per reception) and 11 touchdowns for the Huskies last season.
Round 2: DB Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo, worked at free safety this spring behind starter Ronnie Hickman. McNeil-Warren was a third-team All-American last season.
Round 3: OT Austin Barber, Florida, was the second of three offensive linemen drafted by the Browns. The 6-7, 318-pounder played left tackle at Florida but lined up as the second-team right tackle for the Browns in spring practice.
Familiar face
Kendrick Green, a former third-round pick of the Steelers, signed with the Browns to help the offensive line rebuild. Green was part of a similar rebuild when the Steelers drafted him in 2021 after the line from 2020 — with the exception of RT Chukwuma Okorafor – departed in the offseason. Green started 15 games at center as a rookie, was moved to guard the next season, and was traded to the Texans in 2023. Green signed with the Browns practice squad last Christmas Eve.
Matching up with the Steelers
The Browns defense could be just as strong as last season's, with a younger, emerging pass-rush star in Verse instead of an already dominant Garrett. The offense will be bolstered by the addition of two high draft picks at wide receiver, the return to health of running back Quinshon Judkins, and the probable improvement at quarterback by either a maturing Sanders or the return of Watson.
