The Browns head into 2026 training camp in pretty good shape overall, but there are still a few injury situations worth keeping an eye on as camp opens.
New head coach Todd Monken said during veteran minicamp that the roster is in solid condition and should be ready to roll for training camp, with the main question mark centered on defensive tackle Maliek Collins. Even so, a handful of players are either easing back in or still working their way forward from injuries suffered last season.
One of the more visible scares came with Graham, who showed up on June 9 in a walking boot during spring work. The boot was gone by the next practice, though Graham still didn’t take part.
Judkins is another player the Browns are likely to handle carefully. He suffered a fractured fibula and ankle dislocation in December, but during spring practices he was already cutting, shifting and jumping without a brace on his leg.
Monken said Judkins looks good to him and also noted that soreness is normal. The expectation is that Judkins will be ready for a full workload by Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Watson is in a different kind of battle, competing with Shedeur Sanders for Cleveland’s starting quarterback job. The bigger question is how he’ll hold up through the grind of summer after dealing with a twice-ruptured Achilles tendon.
During veteran minicamp in June, Watson told reporters that he hasn't been 100% healthy since breaking his shoulder against the Tennessee Titans back in 2023. The 30-year-old has dealt with injuries throughout his time in Cleveland and has started just 19 games since the controversial trade in 2022.
Collins’ situation could matter a lot for the Browns’ defensive front. He was a breakout player on a strong line last season, and with Myles Garrett now traded to the Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland will need Collins available. He had a late-season quad injury and did not take part in voluntary OTAs or mandatory veteran minicamp, leaving his status for the start of training camp uncertain.
The Browns have already put JOK on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, which ends his 2026 season because of the neck injury he suffered in 2024. The team also said Owusu-Koramoah will continue his education at Harvard while pursuing a master's degree in public policy.
In Other News...
Browns Secondary Just Took Another Hit Right Before Camp
Another cornerback shuffle hit Cleveland just before camp, with the Browns moving on from Dom Jones and bringing in Damarri Mathis as the roster starts to take shape. Jones had been part of the mix last season on defense and special teams, but the Browns now have one less body in a position group that already has to sort out roles behind Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell and the rest of the depth chart.
Mathis gives the Browns a familiar type of reclamation project, a former Broncos draft pick who also spent time with the Panthers and is trying to get back on track after missing last season with an ACL injury. For a secondary that can never have enough healthy corners in July, the move is less about headlines than survival, and it leaves Cleveland waiting to see how quickly Mathis can get back into the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Browns May Lose A Young O-Lineman They Can't Afford To Waste
The Browns have spent the offseason reworking an offensive line that needed both a reset and a deeper bench, with veteran departures opening the door for a wave of new faces through free agency and the draft. On paper, the projected group is already crowded with Spencer Fano, Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins, Teven Jenkins and Tytus Howard, while rookies Austin Barber and Parker Brailsford are expected to stick, leaving very little room for anyone trying to sneak onto the back end of the unit.
KT Leveston is one of the names most exposed by that numbers game. Primarily a tackle, he is trying to carve out a place in a room that already has multiple players lined up at the same spot, and the competition around the final offensive line jobs is only getting tighter as camp moves along. Even with a solid pass-blocking showing in 2025, Leveston still has to survive a crowded battle just to keep his spot in Cleveland. [Read more 🡒]