The Browns have built themselves into a team with some real upside, and that matters when you start looking ahead to 2027. Andrew Berry and his staff have stacked consecutive drafts with young, cheap talent, giving Cleveland a promising core. But a few veteran names are also heading toward free agency, and after Week 6, some are making stronger cases than others.
Maliek Collins is one of the clearest examples. He has been a major part of the Browns’ defense for two seasons, and he may be delivering his best stretch yet.
Through six games, Collins has 16 total tackles, including six solo stops, along with five tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits and 3.5 sacks. He’s been a clean fit next to Mason Graham, and at 32 by the time he signs his next contract, that age could work in Cleveland’s favor if the team wants to keep him at a discount.
Andre Szmyt has also done plenty to help his standing. His Cleveland stint started with a missed game-winning field goal, but since then he has been steady and effective.
Kickers can be unpredictable, and the Browns know the risk of getting boxed into the kind of contract situation they had with Dustin Hopkins. Even so, there’s little reason to think Szmyt won’t be back after this season.
He is currently on a one-year deal worth a little over $1 million.
Ronnie Hickman is a little trickier to project. The Browns kept him on a team-friendly restricted free agent tender, and he has clearly exceeded that bargain.
Still, another team could be ready to offer something closer to market value. Hickman is signed through 2026 at $3.5 million, and the Browns also have rookie safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren trending toward future starting-caliber impact, which could make the long-term fit less obvious.
That has nothing to do with Hickman’s performance.
Then there’s Deshaun Watson, who remains the most complicated name in the bunch. The Browns are still left asking whether they’re winning because of him or in spite of him.
He has been excellent in fourth quarters, but his first halves have mostly been rough. He can drive the ball downfield when the game is on the line, but he has also struggled to stack together two clean short passes.
There’s no simple read on what that means.
What is clear is that this is a quarterback’s league, and Watson is playing his way toward another contract, even if it’s short term. The bigger question is whether Cleveland will be the team to hand it to him. That answer is going to hang out there for months.
In Other News...
Browns Suddenly Have A New Injury Concern Before Titans Game
The Browns Week 7 injury report already has a little of everything on it, and the most notable name to watch is Quincy Williams. The linebacker sat out practice because of a neck injury as Cleveland worked through its preparations for Tennessee, while Grant Delpit was back on the field in a limited role after clearing the concussion-related step that had kept him sidelined.
Beyond those two, the list was crowded with familiar maintenance-day and status-check names, from Carson Schwesinger and Elgton Jenkins to Mason Graham, KC Concepcion, Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson. For a Browns team trying to get settled before facing the Titans, the bigger issue is less the length of the report than how many key contributors still need to make it through the week without another surprise. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Defense Suddenly Has A Big Week 7 Problem
The Browns are heading into Week 7 with more uncertainty on defense than they would like this time of year. Quincy Williams sat out practice because of a neck injury, Mason Graham has already missed the past two games while working through knee and ankle issues, and Grant Delpit is still in concussion protocol as Cleveland gets ready to face the Titans.
For a unit that has been one of the clearest pillars of the team, the timing is less than ideal. Cleveland has not yet offered any update on how any of those situations might play out for Sunday, leaving the Browns to navigate a short week with several key defenders in limbo. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Could Make A Bold Move To Fix Their Biggest Offensive Hole
The Browns have opened the 2026 season with a 4-2 record, but the offense still has an obvious soft spot, and its at tight end. Cleveland has gotten enough out of the roster to stay in the mix early, yet the search for more dependable production in the passing game remains part of the conversation as the schedule starts to tighten.
Sam LaPorta has become a name to watch after publicly expressing frustration about not getting a contract extension and then missing a recent media session with the Lions. For a Browns team looking for a way to upgrade a clear weakness, that kind of situation naturally creates trade speculation, even if any real movement would still have to make sense for both sides. [Read more 🡒]