The following is an excerpt from Warren Sharp’s 2026 Football Preview. In addition to Warren’s deep, detailed write-up on all 32 NFL teams, each chapter features page after page of full-color charts, stats, and heatmaps, as well as penalty analysis from Joe Gibbs. Click here for a full FREE chapter from the 2026 Football Preview.
Penalties are an under-discussed aspect of NFL success and failure. Average teams can become playoff contenders with good discipline, and good teams can become great simply by winning the penalty battle.
Let’s look at how the Cleveland Browns performed from a penalty perspective in 2025 and where they can improve in 2026.
Cleveland Browns 2026 Penalty Outlook: Discipline, Flags & Hidden Edges
The Good
- Cleveland’s defense was a top-10 unit in generating false start and delay of game infractions on opposing offenses, ranking first and ninth, respectively, in generating those pre-snap infractions. That accomplishment is all the more impressive considering the defense was not playing with the lead in the majority of contests.
- The defense co-ranked No. 1 (with Cincinnati) in surrendering the fewest automatic first downs via penalty based on per-game average.
The Bad
- The Browns ranked second in offensive penalties per game, an improvement from 2024, when they ranked as the No. 1 most penalized offensive unit. Those penalties accounted for 60% of the team’s overall penalties, versus the NFL average of 47.7% in 2025.
- Pre-snap infractions accounted for 45.5% of the Browns’ overall penalties, significantly higher than the league average in this category. The primary contributors were false start and delay of game infractions. Those two categories accounted for 68% of Cleveland’s pre-snap woes last season.
- The Browns ranked as the third-most penalized offense in the fourth quarter of games.
- Piggybacking off the previous point, the offense deteriorated as the game progressed. Cleveland averaged 1.59 offensive penalties in the first half of contests versus 2.18 in the second half.
Grade: B-
The penalty discrepancy between the offense and defense provides additional proof of the gulf between the subpar offense and its dominant defense.
New head coach Todd Monken has his work cut out for him trying to unite the offense and defense on the same end of the spectrum.
If Monken is successful in this endeavor, Cleveland will prove a major headache for a lot of teams.
The Browns have a talented roster, but questions remain at quarterback.
Whether it’s Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders, the Browns have the fourth-best quarterback in the AFC North.
Ultimately, the Cleveland defense can only carry the team so far, and one of the league’s worst offenses with no clear-cut option at quarterback threatens to undermine the Browns’ hopes again in 2026.
This analysis continues in the 2026 Football Preview
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Warren Sharp’s book shares insights into the players, coaches, teams, and philosophies with one goal: to prepare you for the 2026 NFL season with the smartest information delivered in the fastest, most direct way possible for optimal reviewing and retention.
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