There was a time, not all that long ago, when even a vague reference to betting lines by a broadcaster would sound every alarm at 345 Park Avenue.
Times have definitely changed.
Asked by reporters on Friday what a successful season would look like in 2026, owner Jimmy Haslam went straight to the wagering angle.
“I would say this, and we never do this, but I think the odds are for us to win five and a half games,” Haslam said. “I’ll take the over.”
After going winless in 2017, the Browns went six straight seasons with six or more wins, including a pair of playoff appearances. Over the last two years, however, the Browns were 8-24.
“We want to be fun to watch,” Haslam said. “We want to play hard and not make mistakes. Look like we’ve got our act together, which is something we didn’t have the last two years, and the expectations are we will this year.”
He said the team’s overall struggles are “something that keeps us awake at night.”
“It’s unacceptable, and I hate it most for our fans, because they deserve better than that,” Haslam said. “We’re working hard every day to not have that same kind of performance we’ve had in the past. We don’t have our heads in the sand — we know we haven’t performed.”
They haven’t. But they’re not far from being competitive. This season could be a struggle with a new coaching staff and a quarterback competition. They still seem to be laying the foundation to be better than they’ve been.
Truth be told, they can’t be much worse than they were in 2024 and 2025.
