Training camp is about to sort out a Browns roster that still has plenty of open questions, even after a busy offseason that pushed a lot of young players into the spotlight.
The quarterback battle remains the headliner. Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are still carrying their competition into July after Todd Monken couldn’t name a starter by the end of mandatory veteran minicamp.
Watson had been viewed as the favorite earlier in the offseason, but Sanders made a strong push during the spring. Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green are not expected to be part of that race, and it’s unlikely Cleveland keeps all four quarterbacks on the active roster, so the whole room will be worth watching.
At running back, Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson appear to be in strong shape after impressive rookie seasons, especially with Andrew Berry not adding much to the group. Raheim “Rocket” Sanders is currently positioned as the third back, though the Browns’ decision to sign fullback Michael Burton in free agency could affect how the final 53-man roster comes together.
Tight end looks much clearer at the top. After a standout rookie year in which Harold Fannin Jr. led the Browns in receptions, the 22-year-old looks like a sure thing to make the team.
Behind him, though, the depth chart could get crowded. Cleveland used draft picks on Cincinnati’s Joe Royer in the fifth round and BYU’s Carsen Ryan in the seventh, which may make life tougher for free-agent addition Jack Stoll even though he is the best blocking tight end in the room.
Blake Whiteheart, who was on the roster last season, is also battling for a spot.
The receiver group has a couple of obvious names and then a fight for what’s left. Last year’s undrafted breakout Isaiah Bond is viewed as a lock, which leaves room for only two more wideouts. Cedric Tillman, Gage Larvadain, Luke Floriea and Jamari Thrash are in the mix along with Tylan Wallace, who the team signed in free agency.
Up front, the Browns have some of the line already mapped out. Fano and Howard are projected to start at right and left tackle, while Johnson is locked in at one guard spot.
The bigger question is how Will Jenkins is used - at guard or center. Cleveland’s fifth starting job is still unsettled, and the answer could shape the rest of the interior.
If Elgton Jenkins lands at center, Teven Jenkins becomes a strong candidate to start at guard. If rookie Parker Brailsford wins the center job, Elgton Jenkins would slide to guard and Teven Jenkins would be depth.
Austin Barber, a third-round tackle, is another lock to make the roster. That still leaves three or four spots for tackle depth such as Dawand Jones or interior help like Zak Zinter. The Browns also worked KT Leveston at guard during spring practices after a rough season in which he started seven games at tackle.
On the defensive line, new coordinator Mike Rutenberg inherits a group that still has talent even after the trade of Myles Garrett. Isaiah McGuire and Mike Hall Jr. should both be roster locks because of the rotational value they bring. That leaves four spots open, with UDFA EDGE Logan Fano having a real chance, Julian Okwara flashing as a pass rusher last season, and undrafted free agent Adin Huntington making an impact at defensive tackle.
Linebacker is more settled. The starting group is already set, and rookie Justin Jefferson should also be considered a lock.
Nathaniel “Bookie” Watson showed some promise in his rookie year before missing all of last season with a torn bicep. Winston Reid may have the edge over Easton Mascarenas-Arnold or Edefuan Ulofoshio for the final spot.
In the secondary, Rutenberg’s tendency to use safety-heavy packages suggests the Browns could keep two more defensive backs than Delpit, Hickman and McNeil-Warren. Free-agent pickup Daniel Thomas can help on special teams, which puts Christopher Edmonds and Donovan McMillon in a battle for one spot.
The nickel job is also up for grabs, with Myles Bryant and Myles Harden competing to start there. Behind them, Tre Avery, D’Angelo Ross and Dom Jones are fighting for depth roles in the secondary.
In Other News...
Sean McVays Message To Jared Verse Says Everything About Browns Trade
Sean McVays explanation of the Jared Verse deal offered a clear look at how the Rams viewed the move that sent the young pass rusher to Cleveland in exchange for Myles Garrett. McVay spoke with respect about Verse, but framed the trade as the kind of painful decision teams make when a chance comes along to land a player at Garretts level, even if it costs a promising defender and future draft capital.
For Browns fans, the interesting part is what McVays comments say about the value attached to Verse versus the impact Garrett is expected to bring. Verse arrives as a rising talent with room to grow, but the Rams willingness to part with him suggests they saw a meaningful gap in immediate pass-rush difference, and that is the kind of judgment that can define a blockbuster trade long after the paperwork is done. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Gave Browns Fans A Stunning Reason To Believe
ESPNs latest under-25 talent rankings offered a jolt of optimism for a Browns fan base that has spent plenty of time looking for signs of a quicker turnaround. Cleveland landed at No. 4 for 2026, a massive leap from 29th a year earlier, and the list points to a young foundation headlined by linebacker Carson Schwesinger and tight end Harold Fannin Jr., with recent draft additions like Spencer Fano and Denzel Boston helping shape the picture.
The bigger takeaway is what that kind of rise suggests about the way the roster is being built. The Browns have leaned hard into a youth movement, and the names around that core, including Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, KC Concepcion, Mason Graham, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Ronnie Hickman, hint at a team trying to stack talent for the long haul rather than force a shortcut. For now, the clearest question is whether this group is merely promising for the future or good enough to change the timeline sooner than expected, even if the broader outlook still points farther down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Fans Should Be Watching One Very Telling Cap Decision
The Browns are carrying plenty of dead money on the cap, but they still enter the season in a workable spot, and the next move on the ledger may come with Denzel Ward. Cleveland is widely expected to adjust the cornerbacks deal before Week 1, a routine kind of maneuver for a team trying to keep flexibility while managing one of its most important veterans.
Wards contract has become a talking point because of how much cap weight it carries going forward, especially with his 2026 number looming large among non-quarterbacks on the roster. A restructure would only sharpen the conversation around what the Browns want to do with him long term, and for now the front office has left that part of the picture open. [Read more 🡒]