Once again, the Cleveland Browns are drawing a lot of attention for the wrong reasons.
There’s a surplus of noise entering the 2025 season, which is compounded by the oddsmakers’ view of the Browns. Cleveland is an underdog in 16 of 17 games and has one of the lowest win totals on the board.
The team is projected to have the worst offense in the land, and adding to that is a three-ring circus of a QB room, including a 1,000-year-old Joe Flacco and media-magnet Shedeur Sanders.
Bad teams can become “good bets,” but it’s tough to get the taste of last year’s 4-13 ATS record out of our mouths.
Hold your nose. Here’s my 2025 NFL betting preview for the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland Browns best bets
Read on for Jason's full analysis and Cleveland Browns breakdown!
Cleveland Browns odds for 2025
| Market |  |
|---|---|
| Win Super Bowl | +30000 |
| Win conference | +10000 |
| Win division | +3000 |
| Make playoffs | +850 |
| Over 5.5 wins | +115 |
| Under 5.5 wins | -145 |
Best futures bet: Under 325.5 season points (-110)
The Cleveland Browns mustered only 258 points in 2024, which was the lowest in the league. Things got especially dark when Cleveland finished with a collective 26 points in its final four games.
The start of the 2025 campaign will put this popgun offense to the test. Beyond a Week 1 game with Cincinnati, the Browns battle Top 10 defenses in Baltimore, Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh from Week 2 to Week 6. Along the way, Cleveland will also encounter New England, San Francisco, and Buffalo.
This futures prop has the Browns averaging around 19 points per game — something seven teams failed to do in 2024. The team has only one look-ahead total taller than 45 points and is a sizable pup most weeks, setting scoring expectations very low.
Cleveland Browns at a glance: All brakes, no gas
It’s not all gloom and doom for Cleveland. The Browns defense should flirt with the Top 10 stop units, anchored by one of the best pass rushes in the NFL.
Cleveland desperately needs that pressure to generate “game changing” plays, like it did in 2023 when it ranked sixth in takeaways. Last season, the Browns managed just 12 takeaways and let opponents do whatever they wanted with the football.
Any extra touches this offense can get will go a long way. Maybe not in winning games, but covering spreads. Cleveland is getting a buttload of points in most games this year.
What will win bets: Pass rush
Myles Garrett. The Browns’ edge rusher is to NFL quarterbacks as John Wick is to dog-killing gangsters.
Garrett is a transformative player that can single-handedly flip a game on its ear and makes everyone around him better. And it looks like Cleveland has put some better pieces around him up front.
The Browns finished 2024 with the third-highest pressure rate and sat fifth in pass rush win rate at ESPN. That chaos lifts a so-so secondary and promotes the sacks, fumbles and interceptions Cleveland needs to compete.
What will lose bets: Offense
The scoring drought may not be as bad as 2024, but this year’s Browns will once again have issues moving the chains.
New offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is taking the buckshot approach at quarterback, hoping one of five guys will eventually do something.
The top option puts Flacco back under center, protected by an equally aging offensive line while throwing to a receiving corps that won’t make rival secondaries think twice.
As mentioned above, Cleveland’s schedule has plenty of pushback from stop units expected to top the league in most metrics. Only one Over/Under total climbs higher than 45 points this season.
Cleveland Browns schedule + spot bet: Darker before the dawn
The Browns opening nine games are an uphill climb. Not only is the defensive competition stiff, but six of those contests will come away from home, including a UK game versus Minnesota in Week 5.
That does leave the backend of the slate with more home games, hosting five of the final eight outings in the Factory of Sadness.
Look-ahead lines have the Browns as underdogs in 16 of their 17 games, getting six or more points in nine of those meetings, and a touchdown or more in six appearances.
Over/Under forecasts are equally bleak for the make up of this team. The 45.5-point total versus Cincinnati in Week 1 is the only number above 45 for the entire season.
Spot bet: Week 16 vs. Buffalo +8.5
Cleveland happens to catch a few of its toughest foes in rough schedule spots, including Buffalo late in the season.
The Browns welcome the Bills in Week 16 with Buffalo playing back-to-back road games, three away games in four weeks, and finishing a slog of five roadies in seven games.
Adding some spice to this spot bet is a tasty letdown/look-ahead sandwich. The Bills are coming off an important AFC East date at New England in Week 15 and have a massive “Super Bowl preview” with Philadelphia at home in Week 17.
The look-ahead line is at Browns +8.5, but given the contrasting course of these two franchises, you can expect the Bills to be laying double digits on the road come December 21.
Go get’em Garrett
| Market | |
|---|---|
| Win MVP | +20000 |
| Win Defensive Player of the Year | +750 |
| Lead NFL in Sacks | +600 |
| Over 12.5 Sacks | -110 |
| Under 12.5 Sacks | -110 |
Myles Garrett best bet: Over 12.5 sacks (-110)
Garrett has recorded 14 or more sacks in four straight seasons and will get ample opportunities to chase down opposing passers given the Browns offense can’t move the chains.
Looking at the Browns’ schedule, there are plenty of capable QBs but several average to poor offensive lines working against Garrett & Co.
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is looking to get all $40 million out of Garrett’s new contract and has challenged his star to have the best season of his career.
Cleveland Browns trend: Divisional Road Games
Under head coach Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland has been bullied on the road by AFC North rivals.
Since 2020, the Browns are just 3-12 SU and ATS in divisional road games, including a 0-3 SU and ATS record in 2024. They’ve been underdogs of +6 or more in seven of those games and get +6.5 or more in all three AFC North away games in 2025.
Cleveland Browns divisional road games
- Week 2 at Baltimore +12.5
- Week 6 at Pittsburgh +6.5
- Week 18 at Cincinnati +8.5
More NFL team previews
Want to see Jason's forecast for the rest of the NFL? Check out all of his NFL team previews below!
| Bills | Ravens | Texans | Broncos |
| Dolphins | Bengals | Colts | Chiefs |
| Patriots | Browns | Jaguars | Raiders |
| Jets | Steelers | Titans | Chargers |
| Cowboys | Bears | Falcons | Cardinals |
| Giants | Lions | Panthers | Rams |
| Eagles | Packers | Saints | 49ers |
| Commanders | Vikings | Buccaneers | Seahawks |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
