It looked like the Cleveland Browns had turned the corner from perennial disappointments to legit NFL contenders.
The pieces were in place to take another leap forward following a 2023 campaign in which they made the postseason despite a litany of injuries. Deshaun Watson was coming back after missing most of the year with a variety of ailments. Nick Chubb was also returning following a significant knee injury suffered in Week 2. Meanwhile, the offense added another playmaker by trading for wideout Jerry Jeudy.
Then there’s the defense, which was the top-ranked unit in the NFL a year ago. They allowed the fewest yards per game (270.2) and boast the likes of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Denzel Ward, among others.
So, it absolutely makes sense why Cleveland had high hopes entering the season. The public thought so, too, as they backed the Browns in a significant way. 74% of all tickets and 89% of the money at BetMGM was on Cleveland to make the playoffs at +140. Meanwhile, 70% of all bets and 74% of the handle was on the Browns to exceed a win total of 8.5.
It turned out to be a devastating decision as Cleveland’s tied for the worst record in the league at 1-6. They might have hit rock bottom on Sunday following Watson’s season-ending Achilles injury. Watson wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire before going down. He was just 137-of-216 (63.4%) for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions for a career-low 79.0 passer rating.
So, where does Cleveland go from here?
The Browns clearly have a steep hill to climb to turn their season around. Seven of their 10 remaining games are against teams with winning records. They also don’t know who’ll be under center as they’ll decide between Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston. As a result, they’re now +2500 to make the playoffs, which is second-worst in the AFC, ahead of only the New England Patriots. Their win total is 4.5 with a +140 vig to go over and -165 to go under.
Meanwhile, although they’ve said they aren’t waiving the white flag, they signaled they might have their eyes on the future after trading Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills. They shipped their top wideout along with a 2025 sixth-round draft pick for a 2025 third-round pick and a seventh-round selection in 2026. It’s understandable, then, that those in the media speculate the Browns could be open for business ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline.
