Cleveland Browns schedule 2025: Dates & times for all 17 games, strength of schedule and predictions
The Cleveland Browns, after a disappointing 3-14 record in 2024, face a challenging 2025 season with one of the toughest schedules in the NFL. The quarterback situation remains uncertain, with Deshaun Watson injured, and Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders vying for the starting position. Despite the challenges, the Browns have strengthened their defense by extending Myles Garrett's contract and adding first-round pick Mason Graham. Their schedule includes formidable opponents from the NFC North and AFC East, with particularly challenging home games against the Packers, Vikings, and 49ers. The Browns have a projected win total of 5.5, but with strategic wins, especially in their division, they may exceed expectations and finish with a 6-11 record.
Context:
The Cleveland Browns, after a disappointing 3-14 record in 2024, face a challenging 2025 season with one of the toughest schedules in the NFL. The quarterback situation remains uncertain, with Deshaun Watson injured, and Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders vying for the starting position. Despite the challenges, the Browns have strengthened their defense by extending Myles Garrett's contract and adding first-round pick Mason Graham. Their schedule includes formidable opponents from the NFC North and AFC East, with particularly challenging home games against the Packers, Vikings, and 49ers. The Browns have a projected win total of 5.5, but with strategic wins, especially in their division, they may exceed expectations and finish with a 6-11 record.
Dive Deeper:
The Cleveland Browns are coming off their worst season under coach Kevin Stefanski, finishing 3-14 in 2024, and face a challenging 2025 season with a complex quarterback situation involving Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and two rookies.
Deshaun Watson remains sidelined due to a torn Achilles, adding uncertainty to the quarterback lineup, while the competition for the starting position is expected to be a focal point in the preseason.
Despite these challenges, the Browns have solidified their defense with a contract extension for defensive end Myles Garrett and the addition of first-round pick Mason Graham, aiming to bolster their defensive lineup.
Cleveland's 2025 schedule is the second toughest in the NFL, facing strong teams like the Packers, Vikings, and 49ers at home, and also includes tough road games against playoff-caliber teams such as the Bills and Lions.
The Browns have historically performed well under Stefanski, making unexpected playoff appearances, and despite the tough schedule, there is potential for improvement if they can secure key victories in their division.
The Browns' schedule includes road games against teams with new coaching staffs like the Bears, Jets, Patriots, and Raiders, which may offer opportunities for victories given their combined poor home records last season.
With a projected win total of 5.5, the Browns are predicted to finish 6-11, contingent on their ability to navigate the challenging schedule and manage the ongoing quarterback situation effectively.
The Cleveland Browns finished 3-14 in 2024 – the franchise’s worst record under Kevin Stefanski.
Stefanski enters his sixth season with a multi-layered quarterback question. Deshaun Watson remains out after suffering a torn Achilles’ tendon last season. Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are part of the latest quarterback derby in Cleveland — one that is sure to get significant attention in the preseason.
On the plus side, Cleveland did sign defensive end Myles Garrett to a four-year contract extension that runs through 2030, and first-round pick Mason Graham should contribute to an already-solid defense.
The Browns will face the NFC North and AFC East as part of their schedule rotation this year. Cleveland has made two playoff appearances under Stefanski, and both of those runs were unexpected. Will the Browns do the same in 2025?
Here is a complete breakdown of the Browns' 2025 schedule, including dates, start times, and analysis for all 17 games.
Cleveland Browns schedule 2025
Every NFL team's 2025 opponents are predetermined. The Browns’ full 2025 NFL schedule with dates, times, and TV networks will be updated below when the NFL schedule is announced at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 14.You can find more information on Browns tickets here.
Week Date Opponent Kickoff time (ET) TV channel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Browns strength of schedule
The Browns have the second most difficult regular-season schedule based on opponents' records from last season, and it is the most difficult schedule among the AFC North teams.That's because of the record of the AFC North teams. The Bengals, Ravens, and Steelers combined for a 31-20 record last season, a .608 winning percentage. Baltimore and Pittsburgh made the postseason last year. Cleveland also plays Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, and Buffalo in 2025.
Toughest tests: The home schedule is tough outside the division. Minnesota and Green Bay both visit Cleveland. The Packers and Vikings had a combined record of 11-5 on the road last season.
San Francisco also comes to Cleveland, but the Browns did win the last meeting 19-17 on Oct. 15, 2023. Buffalo has not played Cleveland since 2022. The Bills are yet another playoff-caliber team on the home schedule. The Lions lost just three games last year, making that the toughest road game outside the division.
Biggest breaks: The rest of the road schedule is more favorable. Cleveland will play road games against the Bears, Jets, Patriots, and Raiders. Those four teams had a combined record of 7-26 at home last season. All four of those teams have new coaching staffs, so Cleveland needs to have success against that portion of the schedule.
The Browns also have a last-place schedule, which means Tennessee comes to Cleveland. The Titans also have a new coaching staff and quarterback in Cam Ward. The Browns were 1-8 at home last season. They should be able to improve on that record.
Browns record prediction
- Over/under win total: 5.5 (per BetMGM)
Stefanski is 6-4 against the Bengals, but Cincinnati swept the series last year for the first time in that five-year span and should be improved around Joe Burrow in 2025.
The Browns have split with the Ravens each of the past four seasons, and that included a 29-24 victory at home last season. Including playoffs, Stefanski is 5-6 against the Steelers, and Cleveland has won the past three home meetings. So, two of the three wins last year were within arguably the toughest division in the NFL. If Cleveland can go 2-4 in the division, then they will clear the projected win total with ease.
It still feels like a rebuild in Cleveland, however, especially with that unsettled quarterback situation. The Browns have had seven wins or more in four of the past five seasons under Stefanski. The current win total seems just a bit too low.
Record prediction: 6-11
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