Former NFL head coach Herm Edwards is known for famously saying, “You play to win the game.” So when looking at the Cleveland Browns heading into the NFL season, he has no patience for the idea that they should be looking toward the future rather than at the present.
Edwards believes the Browns are capable of a .500 season, as long as their offense finally provides a solid complement to their elite defense. Setting a goal of scoring 20 points per game, that would involve avoiding turnovers that put the team in a bad situation.
If that were to occur, Edwards is giving some optimistic expectations for the Browns in 2026, saying they might win as many games as the past two seasons combined.
“Can they win eight or nine games? That would be big,” Edwards said.
It would be quite an accomplishment coming off 3-14 and 5-12 records in 2024 and 2025, respectively. The Browns also have posted a winning record just twice since 2007.
If current betting lines are presumed to be accurate, Edwards’ modest goal may be out of reach. The Browns have one of the lowest over-under win totals in the NFL, usually at 5.5, and they are considered one of the favorites to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
However, Cleveland has one of the easiest schedules in the league, based on the winning percentages of its opponents from last season and their projected win totals for this year. It is made more difficult with six of the first nine games on the road, putting a lot of pressure on a first-time head coach in Todd Monken and an offense that could have as many as eight new starters.
So far in training camp, the Browns have seen some struggles from quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, as well as miscues from the offensive line. With so many young skill-position players as well, it could be a while before the unit hits its stride.
But, as Edwards said, if the offense can clear a relatively low bar, the defense should have Cleveland in good position to win more games than it loses.
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