The 2019 season was the Cleveland Browns' 67th in the National Football League (NFL), their 71st overall, their second full season under general manager John Dorsey and their only season under head coach Freddie Kitchens. They finished 6–10 despite entering the season with high expectations, failing to improve on their 7–8–1 record from 2018 or end their franchise-record and league-high 16-year playoff drought. They also suffered a 12th consecutive losing season, also a franchise record and the longest such streak in the league. Following the season, the Browns fired Kitchens after one season and Dorsey left his position as well.
Offseason
Coaching changes On October 29, 2018, after Week 8 of the 2018 season, the Browns fired head coach Hue Jackson. Jackson posted a record of record during his 2-season tenure with the Browns. Jackson failed to win any away games during his tenure and lost every game in 2017. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley was also fired the same day. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams finished out the 2018 season with a record as interim head coach.
On January 12, 2019, the Browns promoted interim offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens to head coach.
On January 12, the Browns hired former Minnesota Vikings special teams coordinator Mike Priefer to the same role.
On January 14, the Browns hired former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken as offensive coordinator and former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks as defensive coordinator.
Roster changes
Re-signings Position Player Tag Date LB UFA CB UFA DT ERFA CB UFA WR RFA OT UFA FS ERFA
Players added Position Player Tag 2018 team Date WR TradeThe Browns acquired WR Odell Beckham Jr. and LB Olivier Vernon from the New York Giants in exchange for SS Jabrill Peppers, G Kevin Zeitler, and 2019 1st-round (No. 17) and 3rd-round (No. 95) selections. New York Giants QB UFA Carolina Panthers TE UFA Kansas City Chiefs RB UFA Kansas City Chiefs RB UFA Orlando Apollos (AAF) G UFA Chicago Bears OT UFA Houston Texans G TradeThe Browns acquired G Justin McCray and an undisclosed 2020 draft selection from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for an undisclosed 2020 draft selection. Green Bay Packers SS TradeThe Browns acquired S Eric Murray from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for DE Emmanuel Ogbah Kansas City Chiefs DT UFA Minnesota Vikings LB UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR TradeThe Browns acquired WR Taywan Taylor from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for an undisclosed 2020 draft selection. Tennessee Titans G TradeThe Browns acquired G Wyatt Teller and a 2021 7th round selection from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for 2020 5th and 6th round selections. Buffalo Bills DE Trade New York Giants
Players lost
Position Player Tag 2019 team Date LB Release New Orleans Saints CB UFA Houston Texans LB Release New England Patriots P Release Minnesota Vikings DT Release Indianapolis Colts TE Release Jacksonville Jaguars Jaguars claim former Browns TE Seth DeValve off waivers TE Release Houston Texans C Release CB UFA Buffalo Bills OT Release Arizona Cardinals RB TradeThe Browns acquired a 2020 3rd round selection from the Houston Texans in exchange for RB Duke Johnson. This was originally a conditional 4th round selection, but Johnson was active for at least 10 games for the Texans in 2019, which resulted in the pick becoming a 3rd round selection. Houston Texans K Release Tennessee Titans FS Release Indianapolis Colts WR Release Miami Dolphins RB Release Jacksonville Jaguars DE Trade Kansas City Chiefs SS Trade New York Giants WR UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB UFA Los Angeles Chargers LB Release Arizona Cardinals G UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Release CB Release G Trade New York Giants DE Release Cincinnati Bengals Trade notes
Players added and lost During the 2019 off-season, the Browns also signed DT Brandin Bryant, WR Jaelen Strong, and G Bryan Witzmann, but released them prior to the start of the season
2019 NFL draft
Cleveland traded their first-round pick (17th), a third-round pick previously acquired from New England (95th), guard Kevin Zeitler and safety Jabrill Peppers to New York in exchange for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and defensive end Olivier Vernon.
2019 Cleveland Browns draft Round Selection Player Position College 2 Greedy Williams CB LSU 3 80 Sione Takitaki LB BYU 4 119 Sheldrick Redwine S Miami (FL) 5 155 Mack Wilson LB Alabama Austin Seibert K Oklahoma 6 189 Drew Forbes OT Southeast Missouri State 7 Donnie Lewis CB Tulane
Undrafted free agents 2019 Cleveland Browns UDFA Player Position College Signed Cut Ka'John Armstrong OT Eastern Michigan June 6 August 10 Dorian Baker WR Kentucky May 3 August 31 David Blough QB Purdue May 3 August 30 (trade) Stephen Carlson TE Princeton May 3 August 31 Lo Falemaka C Utah July 22 August 31 (placed on IR) Brian Fineanganofo OT Idaho State May 3 August 31 Jamie Gillan P Arkansas–Pine Bluff May 3 Darrin Hall RB Pittsburgh May 3 May 6Packers Cut RB Darrin Hall J. T. Hassell S Florida Tech May 3 August 31 D. J. Montgomery WR Austin Peay May 3 August 31 (placed on IR) Jarrell Owens DE Oklahoma State May 3 August 31 Jermaine Ponder CB Saint Francis May 3 August 3Steelers swap cornerbacks, sign Jermaine Ponder and release Derrek Thomas Wyatt Ray DE Boston College May 3 August 31 Anthony Stubbs LB Prairie View A&M May 3 August 31 LJ Scott RB Michigan State May 13 May 16 Trevon Tate C Memphis May 3 May 28Cleveland Browns waive reserve lineman Trevon Tate Willie Wright C Tulsa May 3 August 31 Dedrick Young II LB Nebraska May 3 August 31A green background indicates the player made the Browns' Week 1 53-man roster
Uniform changes On September 4, the Browns announced that they would use their brown "color rush" uniforms, which they debuted in 2018, as their primary home uniforms for 2019, wearing them for six home games. These uniforms feature dark brown jerseys with orange numbers and orange stripes, and dark brown pants with the same orange stripes.
Staff
Final roster
Preseason
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Washington Redskins W 30–10 1–0 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 2 at Indianapolis Colts W 21–18 2–0 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 12–13 2–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap 4 Detroit Lions W 20–16 3–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
Regular season
Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 8 Tennessee Titans L 13–43 0–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 2 at New York Jets W 23–3 1–1 MetLife Stadium Recap 3 September 22 Los Angeles Rams L 13–20 1–2 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 4 September 29 at Baltimore Ravens W 40–25 2–2 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 5 at San Francisco 49ers L 3–31 2–3 Levi's Stadium Recap 6 October 13 Seattle Seahawks L 28–32 2–4 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 7 Bye 8 October 27 at New England Patriots L 13–27 2–5 Gillette Stadium Recap 9 November 3 at Denver Broncos L 19–24 2–6 Empower Field at Mile High Recap 10 November 10 Buffalo Bills W 19–16 3–6 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 11 Pittsburgh Steelers W 21–7 4–6 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 12 November 24 Miami Dolphins W 41–24 5–6 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 13 December 1 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 13–20 5–7 Heinz Field Recap 14 December 8 Cincinnati Bengals W 27–19 6–7 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 15 December 15 at Arizona Cardinals L 24–38 6–8 State Farm Stadium Recap 16 December 22 Baltimore Ravens L 15–31 6–9 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 17 December 29 at Cincinnati Bengals L 23–33 6–10 Paul Brown Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Tennessee Titans
The Browns opened the season with a home game against the Tennessee Titans with high hopes after their 7–8–1 season in 2018. The Browns scored a touchdown on their first drive to take a 6–0 lead, but the Titans controlled the game after that, taking a 12–6 lead into halftime. After a Titans field goal, a Browns' touchdown late in the third quarter made the score 15–13, but that is the closest they would get as quarterback Baker Mayfield threw three interceptions and the Titans scored four unanswered touchdowns to secure a 43–13 win.
With the loss, the Browns opened the season at 0–1. The Browns failed to win in Week 1 for the 15th consecutive season. They also committed 18 penalties for 182 yards, their most penalties in a game since 1951.
Week 2: at New York Jets
The Browns traveled to New York for a Monday Night Football matchup against the Jets, marking the Browns' first MNF appearance since 2015. The Browns opened the scoring with a pair of Austin Seibert field goals—the first of his career—in the first quarter to take a 6–0 lead. After the Browns added a Nick Chubb touchdown run, the teams traded field goals late in the second quarter to give the Browns a 16–3 halftime lead. The only score of the second half was an 89-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Odell Beckham Jr. to give the Browns a 23–3 win. The Browns' defense had a solid performance with four sacks (including three by Myles Garrett), one takeaway and two fourth-down stops.
With the win, the Browns improved to 1–1. Punter Jamie Gillan was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week; he made six punts, five of which landed inside the Jets' 20-yard line, averaging 38.5 yards per kick.
Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Browns hosted the Los Angeles Rams in their first Sunday Night Football appearance since 2008. The Browns held a 6–3 halftime lead after a highly defensive first half. The only scoring came via field goals from the Browns' Austin Seibert and the Rams' Greg Zuerlein. In the third quarter, the Rams drove down the field and scored a touchdown on a Jared Goff pass to Cooper Kupp to take a 10–6 lead. The Browns responded on their next drive with a Baker Mayfield pass to Demetrius Harris to retake the lead at 13–10. Early in the fourth quarter, the Rams regained the lead, 17–13, on another Goff touchdown pass to Kupp and extended their lead to 20–13 with a Zuerlein field goal. Late in the game, the Browns had a chance to tie the score with a touchdown. In the final minute, the Browns had the ball first and goal from the Rams' 4-yard line, but Mayfield threw three incomplete passes, followed by an interception on fourth down.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–2.
Week 4: at Baltimore Ravens
The Browns opened the scoring in the first quarter with a Baker Mayfield touchdown pass to Ricky Seals-Jones. However, the Ravens responded with a Lamar Jackson touchdown pass to Miles Boykin to tie the game at 7–7. An Austin Seibert field goal gave the Browns a 10–7 lead at halftime. In the second half, Nick Chubb led the Browns, scoring a career-high three touchdowns and rushing for 128 of his 165 yards on the day, including an 88-yard touchdown run to extend the Browns' lead just two plays after the Ravens had cut the score to 24–18. A Dontrell Hilliard touchdown run extended the Browns' lead to 40–18. The Ravens added a garbage-time touchdown to make the final score 40–25.
With the win, the Browns improved to 2–2 and moved into first place in the AFC North for the first time since Week 10 of 2014. For his 165 yards and three touchdowns, Chubb was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week and FedEx Ground Player of the Week
On October 3, punter Jamie Gillan was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September. Gillan had 11 punts inside the 20-yard line and helped the Browns limit opponents to just 19 punt return yards for the month.
Week 5: at San Francisco 49ers