The Cleveland Browns are entering the 2025 NFL season with renewed energy, looking to reach the playoffs for the third time in six years under head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Cleveland’s early schedule will be difficult, featuring five teams that made the postseason last year and two others that narrowly missed the field.

Despite that tough opening stretch, analyst Xavier Crocker said he believes the 2025 Browns will have an improved showing because they will be able to play complementary football.

“That 2024 defense wasn’t comparable to 2023 because the offense was night-and-day different. Sure, you went through five different quarterbacks in that 2023 season, [but] you were still putting up 23-24 points a game through that second-half stretch. You were still playing meaningful football late into the season, whereas 2024, you could barely get to midfield. You were barely putting up 15 points a game. People are just a little bit scarred from last year, but this offense should be night-and-day different, and I think this defense will reap the benefits,” Crocker said.

There is NO WAY the 2025 defense can be worse than last year's… right?@chefzae23 is banking on complimentary football to help the #Browns defense keep fresh legs ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/rG45yS0D5s

— Honor The Land (@honortheland) July 4, 2025

Cleveland’s offense was among the league’s worst in 2024, finishing last in points scored and in third-down conversion rate.

Crocker is banking on the offense staying on the field longer, which in turn should help the defense keep fresh legs into the fourth quarter and make Cleveland more competitive throughout the season.

The Browns will have a new-look backfield this year, potentially featuring multiple 2025 NFL Draft picks.

Rookie running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson should get opportunities alongside fourth-year pro Jerome Ford in the return to a run-oriented offense called by Stefanski.