The Browns are heading into preseason with more than a few jobs up for grabs, and some familiar names are suddenly on shaky ground.
At the top of the list sits Deshaun Watson, who is in the thick of the biggest position fight of his career. Cleveland’s new coaching staff, led by head coach Todd Monken, is still sorting through the quarterback picture, and Monken has made it clear there isn’t a locked-in starter yet.
That leaves Watson and Shedeur Sanders with a real chance to settle things in camp. If Sanders comes in and performs the way the Browns hope he can in 2025, he could force the issue and push Watson out of the Week 1 role.
For now, the pressure is squarely on Watson to prove he can still hold down the job.
The offensive line has its own battle brewing, and Jedrick Wills is right in the middle of it. Wills is trying to come back from the season-ending LCL tear he suffered last year, but this is already his third season-ending injury, which makes a full return feel like a long shot.
Even if he does get back to full health and looks like himself again, there’s no guarantee Cleveland hands him a starting spot. The Browns have invested heavily up front, and with Spencer Fano arriving on the left side and Tytus Howard on the right, Wills could be pushed aside.
At receiver, Cedric Tillman is another veteran who could find himself squeezed out. He has the kind of frame teams dream about - big, strong, built to win on the outside - but he still hasn’t broken through for Cleveland.
Quarterback play hasn’t exactly helped, but the bigger issue is that Tillman keeps sliding down the depth chart as the Browns keep adding more talent. Two rookie receivers are coming in, including Denzel Boston, who brings a similar build, and Isaiah Bond could make the competition even tougher.
That leaves Tillman with a narrow path to keeping his spot.
Then there’s the center job, which may be the quietest competition of the bunch but could end up being one of the most important. Luke Wypler is trying to prove he can be the answer, but he hasn’t met expectations since coming out of Ohio State and has dealt with injuries along the way.
Cleveland also added Parker Brailsford in the April draft, giving the team another option in the middle. If Brailsford shows he can hold up and block effectively no matter who’s under center, the job could belong to him before long.
In Other News...
Browns May Have Found The O-Line Answer Fans Were Bracing Against
The Browns found a way to address a glaring need up front without paying the kind of premium that usually comes with it. Cleveland signed veteran lineman Elgton Jenkins to a two-year, $24 million deal with $15 million guaranteed after his release from Green Bay, giving the offense a proven, versatile blocker who can help stabilize the interior and compete for a starting job at center or right guard.
For a team that has spent plenty of time searching for answers along the offensive line, the appeal is obvious because the move did not cost draft picks. There is still risk attached, of course, since Jenkins is working back from a serious leg injury, but the Browns now have a veteran option in place and a chance to see whether he can become the kind of fix they were bracing to chase all offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Draft Gamble Suddenly Feels Like The Answer Fans Wanted
The Browns spent the 2026 offseason trying to clean up two of the biggest issues on the roster, reinforcing the offensive line in free agency and then turning to the draft for help at wide receiver. What stood out was the way they attacked the position, using back-to-back picks on KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, a pair of rookies who have already earned positive reviews coming out of minicamp and given the front office an early reason to feel better about the plan.
Concepcion brings the kind of big-play speed that can change how defenses line up, while Boston offers a more physical, bully-ball presence and a red-zone target the offense has lacked. Early buzz has been strong enough that some around the league are already talking about both as potential rookie award candidates, but the real question for Cleveland is whether this is just a promising spring story or the start of a much longer answer at receiver. [Read more 🡒]