Browns 2025 NFL Schedule Released for Shedeur Sanders, Gabriel, Flacco, Pickett Battle

The Cleveland Browns aren't shaping up to be a good team in 2025, but they should carry plenty of intrigue.

That's thanks to a quarterback battle that includes veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco along with rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. Meanwhile, Deshaun Watson is looming on the periphery as he recovers from a torn Achilles.

Maybe Sanders or Gabriel puts together an unexpectedly strong first season. Otherwise, it looks like general manager Andrew Berry is setting the table for a more permanent QB solution in 2026.

Analysis

The Browns and their AFC North brethren have the misfortune of being matched up against the NFC North in 2025. Cleveland will host the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings and hit the road to face off with the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions.

The Lions, Vikings and Packers all finished with 11 victories, while the five-win Bears should be improved with Ben Johnson at head coach and a more experienced Caleb Williams under center.

From top to bottom, there isn't a stronger division than the NFC North.

The Browns also have to play the Buffalo Bills, who possess the talent required to increase their AFC East title streak to six years and once again vie for a conference crown.

The Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers are both wild cards because they appear to be hitting the reset button without going into a full rebuild. They're good enough to win eight or nine games, and it doesn't take a big leap from there to put them in the playoff picture.

Pivotal Matchups

This time last year, pretty much everybody was writing off the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos, only for both to reach the postseason. Maybe the doom-and-gloom forecasts for the Browns are premature. Fan interest is high heading into the season, as StubHub noted a 137 percent increase in interest after Sanders was selected in the draft compared to the previous day.

But Cleveland looks a lot more like the 2024 Las Vegas Raiders, who went into Week 1 with a QB trio of Aidan O'Connell, Gardner Minshew and Desmond Ridder. The result was predictably bad.

Assuming the Browns don't defy expectations, their head-to-head meetings with the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans could prove important in determining draft position.

And since the fanbase might have to settle for Cleveland playing a spoiler role, the divisional clashes could carry some stakes. Indirectly being a reason the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens or Pittsburgh Steelers miss the playoffs would bring some satisfaction.