While the long list of Cleveland Browns starting quarterbacks this century has become a meme, the head coaching position wasn't much better for Cleveland for most the decade, with 10 different head coaches (including interims) during the team's 17-year hiatus from the playoffs starting in 2003. That changed with the hiring of Kevin Stefanski, who took the Browns to the playoffs in 2020 and again in 2023, but the team decided it was time for a change after another last place finish. Enter Todd Monken, who previously served as Cleveland's offensive coordinator in 2019.
He'll be tasked with turning the offense into a competitive unit, while the defense will have to weather the loss of well-respected coordinator Jim Schwartz and the trade of reigning Defensive Player of the year Myles Garrett. We're taking a look at everything you need to know before making Cleveland Browns futures bets below, including odds, trends, 2026 schedule, offseason changes and more before sharing our preseason betting strategy for the team. Fans interested in betting on NFL and Super Bowl futures should check out the latest DraftKings promo code.
The Browns aren't quite considered the basement of the AFC by the market thanks to the existence of the Dolphins, but they're close. Cleveland had a win total of 6.5 with -125 juice on the Under prior to the trade of Myles Garrett on June 1, and that deal moved the Browns from +1600 to +1900 in division title odds but did not have an initial effect on the team's make/miss playoffs market, although the bottom fell out in that futures market in due time. While Stefanski brought an air of respectability to the Browns early in his tenure, this is still a franchise that has finished with a positive point differential just three times since rejoining the league in 1999, and of those three seasons, Stefanski's +34 point differential in 2023 represents the best mark.
The Browns have had a different leading passer in each of the last five years, with none being potential 2026 starter Deshaun Watson, who hasn't played more than seven games in a season since leaving Houston. If you want to wager on NFL futures, you have to check out the latest FanDuel promo code. It should come as no surprise that the data says the Browns paired the worst offense in the league with one of the best defenses, with the latter not doing nearly enough to counteract the former.
Only the Jets and Titans had a worse passing offense on a per play basis, while the Browns also ranked 28th in yards per rush play. The success of the defense stems largely from a dangerous pass rush that finished third in sacks per pass attempt, led by Myles Garrett. In a bit of a twist, the one position not undergoing change in Cleveland is quarterback, with Deshaun Watson winning the battle with 2025 draft picks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel to start.
Unless Monken can unlock any of those options, the most likely scenario has the Browns targeting a new franchise quarterback next offseason. The priority this offseason was to rebuild the offensive line with a focus on versatility, while the team also boosted its receiving weapons in each of the first two rounds of the draft. However, the trade of Garrett became the biggest move of the NFL offseason in June, with the Browns acquiring another quality edge rusher in Jared Verse along with multiple draft picks.
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