The Cleveland Browns are heading into the offseason in need of a significant reset. While the 2025 NFL season was widely viewed as a transition year, the level of inconsistency on the field has been more alarming than expected. At times, the Browns have struggled to function effectively in any phase of the game, raising serious questions about the direction of the franchise.
Most of the Browns’ issues stem from the offense. The team has lacked a true long-term answer at quarterback for years, and the latest attempt to solve that problem has yet to yield positive results. The rookie pairing of Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders has shown flashes but has largely failed to show signs that either could be this team’s long-term answer. As a result, the team appears likely to reenter the quarterback market again this offseason.
On the other side of the ball, Myles Garrett has been one of the few consistent bright spots. As he closes in on the NFL record for most sacks in a single regular season, Garrett has continued to perform at an elite level. The defense overall has been solid and competitive, but it has often been placed in difficult situations due to short fields, turnovers, and an offense that struggles to sustain drives.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski still has supporters within the organization and the fan base, but he has yet to fully deliver the turnaround many envisioned. With the team failing to take a clear step forward, his long-term security in Cleveland is no longer a certainty.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com believes that the 2026 NFL season could be a tipping point because any hopes of competing for a Super Bowl in the short term are quickly fading.
“You’ve got guys on this football team that are starting to head into the back nine of their career. That Super Bowl window, one that I’ve always been talking about, is closing. Next year has to be about winning. It has to be. It has to be for everybody involved,” Cabot said.
On paper, the Browns’ roster looks far from truly competing, but teams have been able to turn things around in a single offseason.
The pathway for Cleveland to accomplish that seems murky now, but all it takes is a few good signings and draft picks to change their trajectory.
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