The Browns already took care of two defensive contract situations this offseason, and both came quietly enough that they barely registered outside Cleveland. Andrew Berry locked up cornerback Denzel Ward and safety Grant Delpit, keeping both in orange and brown for the foreseeable future.
Now that the team is back on the field for practice Monday before moving into its normal regular-season schedule Wednesday, Berry could have a few more deals on his plate. Cleveland has 17 players scheduled to reach unrestricted free agency after the season, and most of that group is made up of stopgaps, backups, or Deshaun Watson.
The real decisions sit on the defensive side, where three starters are in position to matter for the long term.
Maliek Collins is one of them. The veteran defensive tackle missed training camp while recovering from an injury, but he is expected to be ready early in the season.
At 32, he’s also one of the oldest players on the roster, yet he made a major impact in his first year with the Browns. A short extension, maybe for a year or two, would fit Cleveland’s cap situation and give the defensive line some much-needed stability.
Ronnie Hickman is another name worth watching. The former undrafted free agent couldn’t work out a long-term deal earlier this offseason, so he signed only for this year before hitting the market again.
With second-round pick Emmanuel McNeil-Warren now in the building, the Browns may be reluctant to pay Hickman top dollar. Even so, keeping all three safeties together for the next few years would be a major plus for Mike Rutenberg’s defense.
A Top 20 safety contract would be realistic with the cap room Cleveland has available.
Then there’s Isaiah McGuire. The season-ending injury to Alex Wright changed the edge picture and pushed McGuire into the starting role, which also led to the signing of Derek Barnett. McGuire has never played more than 44% of the defense’s snaps, but if Berry and Rutenberg believe a bigger year is coming, a two- to three-year extension could make sense for both sides.
None of these moves are must-dos, and that matters. Cleveland has depth at defensive tackle, added McNeil-Warren in the draft, and McGuire has mostly been a replacement-level player so far. Still, the Browns do have the cap space to build some continuity on defense and keep Rutenberg’s group stocked with options over the next couple of seasons.
In Other News...
Browns QB Pressure Is Building Faster Than Fans Expected
With Week 1 approaching, the Browns quarterback conversation is already drifting well beyond the usual backup chatter. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com has been weighing the possibilities behind Deshaun Watson, including rookie Taylen Green as a candidate for QB2 and the chance that Shedeur Sanders could wind up inactive when the season opens.
Watson is still the starter, but the early part of the schedule is going to shape how long that remains unquestioned. The larger intrigue is what happens if the offense stumbles out of the gate, because Cabots reporting suggests Sanders could become part of the mix sooner rather than later if Watson does not deliver early. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Made A Cornerback Decision Fans Will Hate
The Browns continued to shuffle their cornerback room by signing Noah Igbinoghene and sending undrafted rookie Michael Coats Jr. to the practice squad, a move that immediately stood out because Coats had turned heads in preseason action. Igbinoghene brings six years of NFL experience, but most of that resume has come with limited results and a heavy emphasis on special teams, which makes this more than a routine depth adjustment for a defense trying to sort out its back end.
For Cleveland, the decision also adds another layer to an offseason that has already sparked questions about how the team balances proven experience against the upside of younger players. Coats showed enough in the summer to at least put himself in the conversation, so moving him off the main roster suggests the Browns still see something different in how they want that spot handled. Whether this is a short-term reset or a sign of where the staff is leaning with its developmental priorities is the part that will keep fans watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Reopened A Backup QB Battle Behind Deshaun Watson
With the Browns working through the final stretch before Week 1, Todd Monken left the door open to a backup quarterback competition behind Deshaun Watson. The roster already has four quarterbacks on it, with rookie Taylen Green now in the conversation alongside Shedeur Sanders, while Dillon Gabriel is on injured reserve and not part of the immediate mix. Watson is coming back after multiple injuries, which has made the depth chart behind him a topic worth watching.
Monken said it is possible Cleveland could activate three quarterbacks on game day, though he stopped short of saying that will happen. That leaves the Browns with a little more uncertainty than teams usually want heading into the opener, especially with two young passers trying to carve out a role behind a starter still proving he can stay on the field. For now, the backup job remains unsettled, and the next few practices will matter for anyone hoping to dress on Sunday. [Read more 🡒]