Dawgs By Nature
Browns take on the Bengals in Weeks 1 & 18 of the 2025 regular season
The Cleveland Browns will host the Cincinnati Bengals in Weeks 1 & 18 of the 2025 NFL season. Now that this year’s NFL schedule has been officially released, we can break down each matchup and each team for the upcoming season.
The Bengals started the 2024 season poorly but won five straight to end the season with a chance to make the playoffs at 9-8. With WR Tee Higgins set to hit the free agent market and start WR Ja’Marr Chase seeking a huge contract extension, owner Mike Brown ponied up to keep both with huge deals.
As offseason activities get rolling, DE Trey Hendrickson now wants his pay and has stated that he will not play unless he gets a contract.
Essentially, Cincinnati is running things back, at the request of QB Joe Burrow, except for changes on the defensive staff with new DC Al Golden coming back to the NFL, leaving the same position with Notre Dame.
Here is a quick primer on the match-up between the Browns and Bengals.
Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
Dates: 9/7/2025 & TBD
2024 record: 9-8, third place in the AFC North
Playoffs: Didn’t make the playoffs last season
Browns all-time record vs. Bengals: 48-55
Browns record at home vs. Bengals: 30-21
Browns record on road vs. Bengals: 18-34
First meeting: Browns won, 30-27, on October 11, 1970
Most recent meeting: Benglas won, 24-6, on December 22, 2024
Cincinnati’s 2025 Draft Class: Shemar Stewart (DE), Demetrius Knight (LB), Dylan Fairchild (OL), Barrett Carter (LB), Jalen Rivers (OL), Tahj Brooks (RB)
Draft Class grade via PFF: C
Free agents lost/unsigned per Over the Cap: DE Sam Hubbard, CB Mike Hilton, S Vonn Bell, RB Trayveon Williams, OL D’Ante Smith, K Cade York, RB Chris Evans, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB Joe Bachie, RB Khalik Herbert, DL Jay Tufele, OL Alex Cappa, DL Sheldon Rankins, OL Trent Brown
Free agents signed/re-signed per Over the Cap: WR Tee Higgins, DT BJ Hill, WR Ja’Marr Chase, S Geno Stone, RB Zack Moss, TE Mike Gesicki, CB Marco Wilson, RB Samaje Perine, OL Lucas Patrick, OL Cody Ford, DE Joseph Ossai, TE Tanner Hudson, LB Oren Burks, DE Cameron Sample, LS Cal Adomitis, LB Joe Giles-Harris, DT Tadarrell Slaton, P Ryan Rehkow, TE Cam Grandy, OL Jaxson Kirklan
