The Browns are days away from opening their 2026 season at EverBank Stadium against the Jags, and there’s no shortage of uncertainty hanging over the franchise.
Cleveland does have a young core taking shape, and the move toward a new stadium in Brooks Park is part of the backdrop. But the outlook around the team is hardly rosy. Multiple sportsbooks have set the Browns’ win total at 5.5 for 2026, and that comes after the club managed just eight wins over the last two seasons combined.
One of the biggest reasons for concern starts under center, where the Browns suddenly became a quarterback circus nobody predicted a year ago. Deshaun Watson won the starting job from Shedeur Sanders, but Todd Monken’s latest comments suggest Sanders could slide even further down the depth chart, behind sixth-round rookie Taylen Green.
Dillon Gabriel is also on an IR stint before returning. Carrying four quarterbacks feels like a strange luxury for a roster that is thin elsewhere, and no matter who ends up starting, Cleveland still looks stuck with the NFL’s worst quarterback situation, Falcons included.
Even with two first round picks, there’s no guarantee the Browns will land in position for one of the blue chip prospects in next year’s draft.
The offensive line brings another layer of doubt. Cleveland overhauled the starting five and will open the year with five new bodies up front, but the depth problems that wrecked the unit last season are still very much alive.
Joel Bitonio was the only starter among the Top-5 who didn’t miss a game last year, and the Browns spent much of the season scrambling to patch holes with backups. Teven Jenkins is back and expected to start at right guard, while KT Leveston, Zak Zinter, Luke Wypler, Kendrick Green and former starting left tackle Dawand Jones remain on the roster.
Mid-round picks Austin Barber and Parker Brailsford are in the mix too, with Barber pushing to take Jenkins’ spot. If one of the starters goes down, the same weekly chaos from 2025 could show up all over again.
There’s also a lot of newness on the sideline. Todd Monken is getting his first shot as a head coach at 60 after 14 NFL seasons, and all three of his coordinators - Travis Switzer on offense, Mike Rutenberg on defense and Byron Storer on special teams - are new to their roles.
Pass game coordinator Danny Breyer, wide receivers coach Christian Jones, offensive analyst Travis Monken and offensive analyst Dom Borsani are all in their first years in those jobs, too. A fresh start may be welcome in Berea after two lackluster years under Kevin Stefanski, but growing pains look inevitable in 2026.
Then there’s the pass rush, where replacing Myles Garrett one-for-one just isn’t possible, especially after his record-setting season last year. Jared Verse is a strong addition and his best season of 7.5 sacks is solid, but it doesn’t come close to what the Browns are losing without Garrett.
The bigger issue is the rest of the group. Cleveland tried and failed to land AJ Epenesa, Jadeveon Clowney and Za’Darius Smith at different points, then settled on Derek Barnett, who has never topped 6.5 sacks in nine NFL seasons and is currently backing up Isaiah McGuire.
McGuire’s best season is 2.5 sacks, and he is projected to start only because Alex Wright went down with a season-ending injury in training camp. Sam Williams, signed a week ago, is the only other defensive end on the active roster.
That leaves the Browns with a defensive end room that looks thin and underwhelming.
In Other News...
Browns Open With A Jaguars Twist Fans Will Be Watching Closely
The Browns will open the 2026 season against a Jaguars team that already has Cleveland's attention for reasons well beyond Week 1. Cleveland holds Jacksonville's first-round pick from the Travis Hunter trade, so every move the Jaguars make this summer carries a little extra weight for Browns fans, from the roster additions to the departures and the shape of a draft class that is expected to produce at least one immediate starter. It is the kind of early-season matchup that ties together two teams' futures in a way most openers do not.
Todd Monken's hiring as Browns head coach also adds another layer to the start of the season, especially after Cleveland interviewed Grant Udinski before making its choice. Jacksonville, meanwhile, has brought in names such as defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro and quarterback Quinn Ewers as it reshapes the roster for 2026. For Browns fans, the Week 1 trip is about more than just the scoreboard, because the Jaguars' progress will be part of the long conversation Cleveland is going to be having all season. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Fans Already Sound Fed Up With Deshaun Watson
Todd Monkens first season has already put him in the middle of one of the Browns most delicate storylines, with Deshaun Watson taking the Week 1 starting job over Shedeur Sanders. The choice was always going to draw scrutiny, but it has felt especially loud in Cleveland after Watson was booed during a preseason appearance, a clear sign that plenty of fans are still unconvinced by the direction of the offense.
Monken addressed the subject in a radio interview, calling Watsons remarks about the fan reaction a minor issue and saying the two had already talked it through. For a coach trying to settle a quarterback situation and establish credibility in his first year on the job, even small flare-ups like this can matter, especially when the crowd has already made its feelings known. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Settle Key Week 1 Battles But One Decision Stands Out
The Browns first unofficial depth chart for Week 1 of the 2026 season cleared up a few of the biggest camp questions, and it did so in fairly straightforward fashion. Deshaun Watson is listed as the starting quarterback, with Shedeur Sanders slotted in as the primary backup and rookie Taylen Green third on the chart. Up front, Cleveland kept the offensive line where it had been projected, with Teven Jenkins at right guard and Austin Barber backing up the right tackle spot.
One of the more notable details came on special teams, where second-year receiver Isaiah Bond is the lone punt returner. First-round rookie KC Concepcion, meanwhile, does not appear on the special teams depth chart, a small but meaningful clue about how the Browns are dividing early-season responsibilities as the roster takes shape. [Read more 🡒]