Oh, where do I even start? The Cleveland Browns are a team that can’t seem to find the light at the end of the tunnel—or maybe they’re looking at a train heading straight for them. Either way, big changes are brewing, and 2025 is shaping up to be a year of major upheaval. Let’s talk about the five key Browns who likely won’t be sticking around for the new year.
1. Deshaun Watson: The $230 Million Elephant in the Room
Look, it’s no secret that the Watson experiment hasn’t gone as planned. The Browns bet the farm on him—draft picks, cash, and probably a few fans’ sanity—and it just hasn’t worked. They restructured his contract to free up cap space, but all that did was make it harder to move him without taking a financial gut punch.
But here’s the thing: stranger trades have happened in the NFL. If Watson can string together even a halfway decent start to 2025, the Browns might convince some quarterback-needy team (looking at you, Falcons) to take the bait. Cutting him outright would be a financial disaster, but at this point, disaster is Cleveland’s middle name.
Prediction: Watson is gone before Halloween. Or he sticks around like that annoying party guest no one knows how to kick out. Either way, drama incoming.
2. Joel Bitonio: The Loyal Warrior Ready to Call It Quits
Bitonio is basically the Browns’ version of a lighthouse in a storm. Steady. Reliable. Glowing with Pro Bowl energy while the team flounders around him. But after 11 years, can you blame the guy for considering retirement?
He’s hinted at it—more than once. And let’s be real: the guy deserves to go out on his own terms, not after another 3-14 slog where he’s left picking pieces of defensive tackles out of his cleats. The Browns might beg him to stay one more year, but I wouldn’t bet my Dawg Pound membership card on it.
Prediction: Bitonio rides off into the sunset, and Cleveland loses one of its last true pillars of stability.
3. Myles Garrett: A Star Looking for a Brighter Sky
This one hurts. Myles Garrett is Cleveland. He’s the guy you point to when someone asks, “Does this team have anyone good?” He’s dominant, charismatic, and frankly, way too talented to waste his prime on a team that can’t get its act together.
And he knows it. Garrett has already made it clear he wants a real plan for contention—or he’s out. The Browns’ front office would be foolish to ignore his ultimatum, but let’s face it: they’ve ignored bigger red flags. Trading Garrett could bring a king’s ransom in draft picks, setting the stage for yet another rebuild.
Prediction: Garrett starts 2025 in Cleveland but finishes the season wearing another team’s colors. Probably blue. Blue feels right.
4. Andrew Berry: The GM on Thin Ice
Berry has made some bold moves since taking over in 2020, but bold doesn’t always mean smart. The Watson trade? That alone could get you fired in most front offices. Add in some questionable draft picks (Jedrick Wills over Tristan Wirfs, anyone?) and a habit of rolling the dice on players with baggage, and it’s clear Berry’s seat is scorching hot.
The Browns gave him an extension before 2024, but extensions don’t mean much when you’re staring down another losing season. If the team stumbles out of the gate in 2025, Berry could be packing his bags by Thanksgiving.
Prediction: Berry’s tenure ends with the Browns looking for yet another savior to fix their mess.
5. Kevin Stefanski: The Coach Who Can’t Catch a Break
Remember when Stefanski was hailed as the genius who finally broke Cleveland’s playoff curse? Yeah, those were good times. Now, he’s the guy taking heat for a 31st-ranked offense and a defense that can’t find consistency. Sure, the front office hasn’t done him many favors, but Stefanski hasn’t exactly aced his in-game decisions either.
He handed off playcalling duties to Ken Dorsey midseason, but the offense didn’t improve much. And while his overall record is decent, this is a “what have you done for me lately?” league. Another slow start, and Stefanski could be looking for a new gig faster than you can say “hot seat.”
Prediction: Stefanski doesn’t make it through the season. Midseason firings are so on-brand for the Browns.
What’s Next for Cleveland?
It’s clear the Browns are heading for another overhaul, but will it finally be the one that turns things around? Honestly, probably not. Cleveland feels like that friend who keeps dating the wrong people, convinced this time it’ll work out.
2025 might just be the year the Browns hit rock bottom—or maybe, just maybe, they figure it out. Either way, these departures will shape the team’s future, for better or worse.