Browns general manager Andrew Berry watches practice during rookie minicamp May 9, 2025, in Berea. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has a considerable amount of work to accomplish between now and the end of the 2026 NFL Draft to fix the current state of the roster.
Fortunately, Berry has assets to work with, including an expected increase in the salary cap for 2026, along with 10 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, including two selections in the first round.
Free agency will arrive on March 11, and while everyone is always excited when a team makes a “splash signing,” the
reality is that the Browns will not fall into that category, especially when it comes to older players,
as Berry outlined earlier this week:
“We’re not necessarily going to be in the phase where we’re going to sign, you know, a bunch of mid-30s veterans to like put us over the top, so to speak. That doesn’t mean that we’re not going to participate in free agency or participate with veteran players. But the reality of having, you know, 10 selections, eight that are in the top 150 and already a very young defense and with pretty heavy investment on offense, in most worlds, we’re probably going to be one of the younger teams in the league.”
With that in mind, here are three of the biggest roster priorities that Berry is facing, along with some options he may consider as he looks to do more than just find a short-term solution.
The Quarterback Conundrum
There is no other way to put it:
Cleveland’s quarterback situation is currently one of the worst in the NFL.
Despite head coach Todd Monken saying he is “intrigued” by veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson, the reality is that after playing in just 19 games since joining the Browns in 2022 and not rarely looking good in any of them, Watson’s time as a starting quarterback is done. He is going to be on the roster because of his contract, but there is nothing to indicate he is the answer.
The same is true of rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, who both put up some of the worst numbers by rookie quarterbacks in the past 25 years. Sanders may end up the starter this fall by default, and the Browns should probably trade Gabriel for whatever they can get, but neither of them should give anyone hope that they are the longterm answer.
External options: It is good that Berry is not expecting free agency to help out with the quarterback position, because the pickings are slim. Green Bay’s Malik Willis will likely be the top option, but he has only played 547 career snaps and started 11 total games in four seasons, so why put into someone who is essentially another developmental quarterback when you already have two rookies on the roster who fit that description?
From there, things drop off with the likes of an aging Aaron Rodgers, an injured Daniel Jones, a finished Russell Wilson, old friends Tyler Huntley and Tyrod Taylor, or the seemingly always available Jimmy Garoppolo.
On the trade front, quarterbacks expected to be available include Arizona’s Kyler Murray, Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa, Las Vegas’ Geno Smith, and San Francisco’s Mac Jones. Again, no one is getting excited about seeing any of them added to Cleveland’s infamous quarterback jersey.
Draft options: The Browns missed out on their chance at Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza thanks to those epic late-season wins against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. And while Mendoza will not be the only quarterback selected in the first round, the drop off is pretty steep.
Berry could be tempted to select Mississippi’s Trinidad Chambliss if Chambliss finally accepts that his college career is over and he is available in the second round. But Chambliss, along with everyone else on the list, from Alabama’s Ty Simpson to Miami’s Carson Beck, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, all need time before they are ready to start in the NFL.
So while they may be better than the current options on the roster, they are not coming in this fall and lighting anything up on the field.
Finding Someone to Catch the Ball
As homicide detective Lester Freamon wisely explained on
The Wire, “all the pieces matter” when looking to solve a problem.
While the quarterback situation was bad, the wide receivers did their part to contribute to the woes of the offense, starting with preumptive No. 1 wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.
It is a pleasant enough fantasy to think that Jeudy will rebound from a rough season; Cedric Tillman will stay healthy; and one or two players among Malachi Corley, Isaiah Bond, Jamari Thrash, and Gage Larvadain will “make the leap” the leap this fall. But the Browns really can’t afford to continue to try and win games without playmakers, especially now that owner Jimmy Haslam wants to bring the fun back to the offense.
External options: Cleveland is not going to throw big dollars at George Pickens, even if the Dallas Cowboys allow him to become a free agent. The same is true of Alec Pierce of the Indianapolis Colts, who
Pro Football Focus is projecting to land a four-year, $96 million contract that includes $45 million in guaranteed money.
Deebo Samuel looks to be entering the downside of his career, or will probably want more money than he is worth, Jauan Jennings (San Francisco 49ers), Rashid Shaheed (Seattle Seahawks) and Romeo Doubs (Green Bay Packers) would probably prefer staying with winning franchises. The Browns may choose to pay someone, of course, so perhaps Christian Kirk of the Houston Texans? Jalen Nailor of the Minnesota Vikings? The list is not very exciting.
Berry did strike short-term success by trading for Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy, so perhaps he knows what he is doing in that regard? Names to watch could include Buffalo’s Keon Coleman (who has two years left on his rookie contract and may welcome a fresh start), Quentin Johnston of the Los Angeles Chargers (also still on his rookie contract), Carolina’s Xavier Legette (owed just $4.4 million over the next two seasons), and Jacksonville’s Brian Thomas Jr. (also still on his rookie contract).
Draft options: This is where Berry has the best opportunity to make a difference, as he could end Day 2 of the draft with a pair of new wide receivers.
First-round options at No. 6 overall include Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson or Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, while No. 24 overall might see Washington’s Denzel Boston or Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion still on the board.
If he decides to look elsewhere in the first round, Berry could wait until Day 2, where the Browns have the No. 39 and No. 70 overall selections, for the likes of USC’s Ja’Kobi Lane, Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt, or Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II.
The Offensive Line – Oh My!
Of all the things that went wrong with the Browns in 2025, the decline of the once proud offensive line was one of the most disappointing.
Injuries hit tackles Jack Conklin and Dawand Jones early, center Ethan Pocic late, and guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller continued to show their age.
Conklin, Pocic, Teller and Bitonio are all slated to be free agents, and there is no telling what to make of Jones after back-to-back years of season-ending injuries. So while quarterback will always be the No. 1 issue until it is solved, Berry has no choice but to focus his attention on the offensive line.
External options: Remember, Berry is not going to splash the cash in free agency, so no matter how much head coach Todd Monken and offensive line coach George Warhop might like the idea of bringing center Tyler Linderbaum over from the Baltimore Ravens, it’s not happening.
But, Berry does need to do something, so perhaps he may cast his gaze toward guards like Pittsburgh’s Isaac Seumalo, Buffalo’s David Edwards, Alijah Vera-Tucker of the New York Jets (although his injury history is just as bad as Dawand Jones), or Cincinnati’s Dalton Risner.
Offensive tackles are harder to find and more expensive, of course, so diving deeper into the free agent list reveals candidates such as Chicago’s Braxton Jones, Indianapolis’ Braden Smith, or Atlanta’s Elijah Wilkinson.
Centers are even harder to find, with the free-agent options including Carolina’s Cade Mays, Andre James of the Chargers, or perhaps Buffalo’s Connor McGovern.
Draft options: Just like at wide receiver, the best option to fix some of the holes along the offensive line come in the draft.
If Berry decides to go with an offensive tackle with the No. 6 overall selection, then Miami’s Francis Mauigoa or Utah’s Spencer Fano are likely to hear their names called. If Berry waits until later in the first round, Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor or Utah’s Caleb Lomu.
Once it gets later in the draft, guard options include Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon and Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis, and keep an eye on centers Pat Coogan (Indiana) and Jake Slaughter (Florida).
So what is a GM to do?
While we went into this exercise with eyes wide open about the current state of Cleveland’s offensive “talent,” this still left us in need of a stiff drink.
The Browns need to get younger and healthier along the offensive line, more explosive and consistent at wide receiver, and need to stop being the league outlier when it comes to fixing the quarterback position.
No general manager can fix everything in one offseason, and Berry has let everyone know the Browns are not going to spend big in free agency, and what money they do spend is going to be on younger players, likely on short deals that will keep the roster in flux.
But Berry can still find some short-term fixes in free agency while continuing to build through the draft, thanks to those 10 selections. That may not be enough to push the Browns into playoff contention this fall, but it should be enough to build off last year’s solid rookie class and at least get things moving in the right direction.
What do you say, Browns fans? If you were in Andrew Berry’s seat, how would you go about fixing things? Let everyone know in the comments!
