Browns hoping for a two-week, midseason west coast trip in 2023

Mar 29, 2023 - 2:17 PM

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While the first couple of weeks of the 2023 NFL season has been busy, there is so much that will happen between now and the actual season. NFL free agency has been busy for the Cleveland Browns. GM Andrew Berry has added starters and depth all over the roster and still has eight draft picks to use.

The NFL draft is the next big moment on the NFL schedule with offseason activities sprinkled in before training camp this summer.

One small but important aspect of the offseason is releasing team schedules. We already know the Browns 2023 opponents.

On top of the regular trips to their AFC North rivals, Cleveland is set to play close by in Indianapolis this year as well as a trip down the Houston. The Browns also have three longer trips on their schedule with the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos as away games.

To try to keep the team from having to fly out west twice during the season, Cleveland has made a request to the league:

... the Browns have put in a request with the league to have two of those trips scheduled consecutively so that the Browns can stay in either the Pacific or Mountain time zone between games.

It is not unusual for teams to put certain schedule requests into the league for a variety of reasons. As noted, the team would not create the two-week trip if it would fall during Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays. While the goal is what is best for players, keeping them away from their families during holidays wouldn’t create the benefit they are seeking.

Once the schedule comes out in May, the Browns will have a lot of logistics to work on. Potentially having a week layover out west would add to the complications to the planning but, hopefully, help the players be in the best position to win those games and stay healthy.

HC Kevin Stefanski sees another benefit:

But he sees it as a team-bonding opportunity, and Stefanski spent time in January and February researching the idea from a logistical and sports-science standpoint.

The official schedule release in May will let us know if the team got their request granted.