With training camp winding down, the Browns still have a few real decisions left to make - and not all of them are getting the same amount of attention. The quarterback fight between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders has dominated the conversation, but Cleveland’s roster still has several other spots that matter just as much heading into the regular season.
The most urgent issue might be on the edge, where Alex Wright’s injury during a joint practice with the Bills hit at exactly the wrong time. The Browns were already dealing with the fallout from losing out on a pair of notable free-agent visits, with Jadeveon Clowney and Za’Darius Smith both going elsewhere after spending time in Berea.
That leaves Cleveland thin behind newcomer Jared Verse, and the options aren’t exactly overflowing. Isaiah McGuire, Julian Okwara and undrafted rookies Khordae Sydnor and Logan Fano are next in line, with McGuire looking like the most likely candidate to absorb Wright’s snaps for however long he’s sidelined.
There’s also a wide-open competition at receiver beyond the apparent top three. Isaiah Bond has been one of camp’s biggest surprises, and Luke Floriea has made noise too, while Jerry Jeudy, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston appear locked in as the starting trio.
The fight for the next roster spots is still very much alive, though, with Gage Larvadain and Tyal Wallace in the mix as well. That battle could end up mattering well beyond this season, since the fourth receiver could eventually be the one who gets a shot at a bigger role if Cleveland moves on from the underperforming Jeudy down the line.
Tight end is another spot where the picture gets fuzzy fast after the top name. Harold Fannin Jr. is expected to lead the room, but the depth chart behind him is unsettled.
Cleveland used multiple-tight-end looks on more than half of its offensive snaps last year, one of just two teams in the league to do it, and even if that rate is expected to dip under a new offensive coordinator, the position still carries real weight. Jack Stoll is now on IR and Brenden Bates is there too, which leaves Blake Whiteheart and rookie Carsen Ryan battling for the top backup role after Joe Royer left the team for personal matters.
Whiteheart brings more blocking value, while Ryan offers more as a receiver, so both could wind up seeing action early.
On defense, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren hasn’t unseated the starters yet, but the Browns still seem determined to get him on the field. Many viewed him as a first-round talent, so landing him in the second round already felt like a win. Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman remain the starters at safety, but McNeil-Warren should be a major factor in big nickel packages as Cleveland looks for ways to use the former Toledo playmaker.
Not every spot is still up for debate, though. The center competition between Luke Wypler and rookie Parker Brailsford appears settled for now, with Elgton Jenkins moving into the spot instead of staying at guard as Monken had previously planned.
That pushes Teven Jenkins to right guard and keeps Zion Johnson on the left side. The tackle jobs are also spoken for, with Tytus Howard on the right and first-round pick Spencer Fano on the left.
For a while, there was some uncertainty about whether Fano could keep that left tackle job or whether Dawand Jones might get back into the picture. But Monken said an altercation between Verse and Fano helped convince him the rookie was ready.
KT Leveston is expected to be the top backup on the interior, while rookie Austin Barber looks set as the reserve right tackle. In other words, the most likely lineup projected after April’s draft may end up being the one Cleveland opens with in Week 1.
In Other News...
Browns Offense Finally Showed Something Fans Have Been Waiting For
A joint practice against the Bills gave the Browns a chance to measure themselves against another roster, and for once the offense came away with something to build on. Head coach Todd Monken said Cleveland looked like it belonged on the field, a notable step for a group that has spent much of camp trying to find its footing. There were still mistakes and some injuries to sort through, but the overall impression was more encouraging than the usual late-summer noise around an offense still trying to settle in.
The offensive line also showed progress, which matters just as much as any flashier moment in practice because it sets the tone for everything else. Cleveland still has a long way to go before anyone can draw conclusions about the season opener, but this was the kind of day that can hint at a unit starting to mesh. For a Browns team looking for signs of cohesion, it was at least a reminder that the offense may be moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Quarterback Uncertainty Could Put Rival Cutdown Decision In Focus
After the first week of preseason, Cleveland still does not have a clear answer under center for 2026, and that uncertainty is starting to frame everything the Browns do at quarterback. Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson and the rest of the room have all had uneven moments, leaving the team with more questions than answers as the evaluation process continues into the rest of August.
Across the state line, Pittsburghs own quarterback decision has become a subplot worth watching, with Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar all tied to the Steelers roster picture. Howard, a former Ohio State quarterback, made a strong preseason debut and is now the kind of player Cleveland could have in mind if he ends up available, giving the Browns one more possible name to monitor while their own competition remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Quinshon Judkins Injury Should Ease One Big Browns Concern
Quinshon Judkins has been working through a nagging injury during training camp and the preseason, which kept the Browns running back out of practice for stretches at a time. Even so, head coach Todd Monken has framed the absence as precautionary, and the early read is that Cleveland is not dealing with a major setback as it builds toward the start of the season.
For a Browns team that is counting on Judkins to lead the backfield in 2026, that matters. He enters the year as the expected feature back and a player with real fantasy football appeal, so every missed practice naturally draws attention, but the current outlook suggests Cleveland may be able to move past one of its bigger camp concerns without it turning into a season-opening problem. [Read more 🡒]