The 2023 season was the Cleveland Browns' 71st season as a member of the National Football League (NFL), their 75th overall, and their fourth under the head coach/general manager tandem of Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry. They improved upon their 7–10 record from the previous season, finishing with an 11–6 record and clinching their first winning season and playoff berth since 2020.
In the season, the Browns started five different quarterbacks: Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P. J. Walker, Joe Flacco, and Jeff Driskel. This marked the most starting quarterbacks in a season in franchise history and the most by any team since the 1987 New England Patriots. Although the Browns advanced to the playoffs, they were blown out by the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round, 45–14. Flacco, who did not have a team for eleven weeks, won the Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year award for clinching their spot in the playoffs and winning four of his five starts.
The Cleveland Browns drew an average home attendance of 67,810 in 9 home games in the 2023 NFL season, the 19th highest in the league.
Offseason Staff changes On January 9, the day after the 2022 season finale, the Browns fired defensive coordinator Joe Woods after three seasons.
On January 18, the team hired former Tennessee Titans senior defensive assistant Jim Schwartz to replace Woods as defensive coordinator. Schwartz previously served as head coach of the Detroit Lions and defensive coordinator for the Titans and the Philadelphia Eagles, winning Super Bowl LII during his tenure with the latter.
On February 21, the Browns fired special teams coordinator Mike Priefer after four seasons. He had served as interim head coach for two games, including the Browns' playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020.
On February 25, the Browns hired former Indianapolis Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone to the same position, as well as to serve as assistant head coach. Ventrone played ten seasons as a safety and special teams specialist, including four seasons with the Browns.
Roster changes Free agents 2023 Cleveland Browns Free Agents Pos. Player 2023 team Date QB Jacoby Brissett Washington Commanders March 16 TE Pharaoh Brown Indianapolis Colts April 10 DT Taven Bryan Indianapolis Colts March 17 LB Jermaine Carter Houston Texans May 8 DE Jadeveon Clowney Baltimore Ravens August 18 LB Tae Davis Atlanta Falcons March 17 G Hjalte Froholdt Arizona Cardinals March 15 S Ronnie Harrison Indianapolis Colts August 14 OT Chris Hubbard Tennessee Titans July 28 RB Kareem Hunt Cleveland Browns September 20 TE Jesse James New Orleans Saints May 31 RB D'Ernest Johnson Jacksonville Jaguars March 23 LB Deion Jones Carolina Panthers July 31 LB Jordan Kunaszyk Cleveland Browns March 20 C Ethan Pocic Cleveland Browns March 15 LB Reggie Ragland LB Sione Takitaki Cleveland Browns March 16 LB Anthony Walker Jr. Cleveland Browns March 29 DE Stephen Weatherly CB Greedy Williams Philadelphia Eagles March 16 DE Chase Winovich Houston Texans March 17
Signings 2023 Cleveland Browns Signings Pos. Player 2022 team Date LB Matthew Adams Chicago Bears March 21 TE Jordan Akins Houston Texans March 18 CB Lorenzo Burns Birmingham Stallions (USFL) August 1 QB Joshua Dobbs Tennessee Titans March 20 CB Mike Ford Atlanta Falcons March 21 WR Marquise Goodwin Seattle Seahawks April 14 DT Trysten Hill Arizona Cardinals March 20 DT Maurice Hurst Jr. San Francisco 49ers March 18 CB BoPete Keyes Baltimore Ravens July 6 OG Wes Martin Washington Commanders March 30 SS Rodney McLeod Indianapolis Colts May 5 DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo Houston Texans March 15 S Juan Thornhill Kansas City Chiefs March 15 DT Dalvin Tomlinson Minnesota Vikings March 15 CB Chris Westry Carolina Panthers May 16
Trades 2023 Cleveland Browns Trades Date Team Player(s)/Asset(s) received Player(s)/Asset(s) traded March 22 New York Jets WR Elijah Moore2023 3rd round selection 2023 2nd round selection May 16 Minnesota Vikings DE Za'Darius Smith2025 6th round selection2025 7th round selection 2024 5th round selection2025 5th round selection August 24 Arizona Cardinals 2024 5th round selection QB Joshua Dobbs2024 7th round selection August 27 New England Patriots RB Pierre Strong Jr. T Tyrone Wheatley Jr. August 28 Los Angeles Chargers K Dustin Hopkins 2025 7th round selection
Draft
+ 2023 Cleveland Browns draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 12 Traded to the Houston Texans 2 42 Traded to the New York Jets 3 73 Traded to the Houston Texans 74 Cedric Tillman WR Tennessee From Jets 98 Siaki Ika DT Baylor 2020 Resolution JC-2A selection 4 111 Dawand Jones OT Ohio State 126 Isaiah McGuire DE Missouri From Vikings 5 140 Dorian Thompson-Robinson QB UCLA From Rams 142 Cameron Mitchell CB Northwestern 6 190 Luke Wypler C Ohio State 7 229 Traded to the Baltimore Ravens
+ 2023 Cleveland Browns undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Caleb Biggers CB Boise State Mohamoud Diabate LB Utah Thomas Greaney TE Albany Hassan Hall RB Georgia Tech Ronnie Hickman S Ohio State Jeremiah Martin DE Washington Tanner McCalister S Ohio State Lonnie Phelps DE Kansas Charlie Thomas LB Georgia Tech
Draft trades
Uniform changes On July 17, the Browns introduced a white helmet with an orange and brown center stripe. The helmet was worn during three games with the team's 1946 throwback uniforms, which were previously introduced in 2021. It will be worn for three games and mark the first time since 1951 that the Browns will wear a non-orange helmet.
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap HOF New York Jets W 21–16 1–0 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Recap 1 Washington Commanders L 15–17 1–1 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 2 at Philadelphia Eagles T 18–18 1–1–1 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 3 at Kansas City Chiefs L 32–33 1–2–1 GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 10 Cincinnati Bengals W 24–3 1–0 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 2 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 22–26 1–1 Acrisure Stadium Recap 3 September 24 Tennessee Titans W 27–3 2–1 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 4 October 1 Baltimore Ravens L 3–28 2–2 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 5 Bye 6 October 15 San Francisco 49ers W 19–17 3–2 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 7 October 22 at Indianapolis Colts W 39–38 4–2 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 8 October 29 at Seattle Seahawks L 20–24 4–3 Lumen Field Recap 9 November 5 Arizona Cardinals W 27–0 5–3 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 10 November 12 at Baltimore Ravens W 33–31 6–3 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 11 November 19 Pittsburgh Steelers W 13–10 7–3 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 12 November 26 at Denver Broncos L 12–29 7–4 Empower Field at Mile High Recap 13 December 3 at Los Angeles Rams L 19–36 7–5 SoFi Stadium Recap 14 December 10 Jacksonville Jaguars W 31–27 8–5 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 15 December 17 Chicago Bears W 20–17 9–5 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 16 December 24 at Houston Texans W 36–22 10–5 NRG Stadium Recap 17 New York Jets W 37–20 11–5 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 18 January 7 at Cincinnati Bengals L 14–31 11–6 Paycor Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Browns opened the season with an AFC North matchup against the in-state rival Cincinnati Bengals, marking the 100th meeting between the two franchises.
The Browns defense dominated the game, forcing ten Cincinnati punts including seven three-and-outs, and limiting the Bengals offense to six first downs. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was limited to a career-low 82 passing yards. On offense, the Browns were led by Nick Chubb's 106 rushing yards on 18 carries. Quarterback Deshaun Watson had 154 passing yards, 45 rushing yards, a passing touchdown, and a rushing touchdown, despite a 55.2% completion percentage and one interception. Kicker Dustin Hopkins converted all three of his field goal attempts in his Browns debut. The Bengals' lone score came on an Evan McPherson field goal.
With the win, the Browns opened the season 1–0 for the second consecutive year. This marked the first time the Browns won consecutive season openers since 1993 and 1994.
Week 2: at Pittsburgh Steelers
After starting the season with a win, the Browns traveled to Pittsburgh to for a second straight division rivalry game, this time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pittsburgh scored on an Alex Highsmith interception returned for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage to take a 7–0 lead. Cleveland responded with a Dustin Hopkins 43-yard field goal to cut the Steelers lead to 7–3, but failed to get closer on the next drive as Hopkins missed a field goal attempt on the next drive. Early in the second quarter, Browns' Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb suffered a severe knee injury and was removed from the game; the injury ended Chubb's season. The Browns were able to get into the end zone on that drive on a Deshaun Watson 2-yard touchdown pass to Jerome Ford and added a 2-point conversion after a Pittsburgh penalty to take an 11–7 lead. Pittsburgh responded with a Chris Boswell field goal and a Kenny Pickett 71-yard pass to George Pickens to take a 16–11 lead, but the Browns added another Hopkins field goal before halftime to cut the Steelers' lead down to two points.
On their first drive of the third quarter, Pittsburgh scored on a Boswell 50-yard field goal. The Browns responded with a 1-yard touchdown run by Pierre Strong Jr., set up by a 69-yard run by Ford two plays earlier, to take a 22–19 lead after a Watson run for the 2-point conversion. However, in the fourth quarter T. J. Watt recovered a Watson fumble and returned it for a touchdown to take the lead. The Browns were not able to respond, resulting in a 26–22 Steelers win.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–1. This was the Browns' 20th straight regular season loss in Pittsburgh.
Week 3: vs. Tennessee Titans
The Browns returned home for a Week 3 battle with the Tennessee Titans. Cleveland had a 12-play drive on the first possession of the game which culminated in a Dustin Hopkins 48-yard field goal to give the Browns a 3–0 lead. After a Tennessee field goal tied the game early in the second quarter, Cleveland responded with a Deshaun Watson touchdown pass to Jerome Ford and another Hopkins field to take a 13–3 lead into halftime.
The Browns defense held the Titans scoreless through the second half. On offense, the Browns added two touchdowns on a Ford run, the first rushing touchdown of his career, and a 43-yard pass from Watson to Amari Cooper, to give the Browns a 27–3 win.
With the win, the Browns improved to 2–1.
Week 4: vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Browns stayed home to take on the Baltimore Ravens, in an early battle for the top spot in the AFC North. In the week leading up to the game, starting quarterback Deshaun Watson was limited in practice due to a shoulder injury. He was ultimately declared inactive for the game after pre-game warmups. Backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson made his first career start in Watson's place.
After teams exchanged punts to start the game, a Brandon Stephens interception was returned to the Browns' 10 yard-line. This set up a Lamar Jackson touchdown run on the next play to take a 7–0 lead. The Browns responded with a Dustin Hopkins field goal to get on the scoreboard, but the Ravens dominated the rest of the game. Jackson added a second touchdown run and two touchdown passes to Mark Andrews to give the Ravens a 28–3 victory. Meanwhile, the Ravens held Thompson-Robinson to 121 yards in the air and recorded three interceptions. The Browns were held to 166 total yards and 93 rushing yards (40 of which coming on a single Pierre Strong Jr. run in the game's final minute).
With the loss, the Browns entered their bye week at 2–2.
Week 6: vs. San Francisco 49ers