The Browns may have stacked up praise all offseason, but the league still isn’t buying a full turnaround in Cleveland.
That’s the strange reality facing a team that was widely viewed as one of the big winners in free agency and the draft. The Browns “won the offseason,” landed near the top of NFL move rankings, and kept drawing “winners” labels as the roster got reshaped. Even with the quarterback situation still drawing questions, QB Shedeur Sanders “has progressed so much, ” and the return from the DE Myles Garrett trade could help set up the franchise’s future.
And yet the expectations remain stubbornly low. Cleveland’s win total is still listed at 6.5, with 250/1 odds to win the Super Bowl and 22/1 odds to take the AFC North after the Garrett trade. That deal, surprisingly, didn’t move the betting picture all that much.
So why the disconnect? Because the Browns were starting from such a deep hole that even a strong offseason only gets them so far.
ESPN’s latest projection makes that point pretty clearly. Cleveland’s projected starters are ranked second worst in the NFL, with the defensive front seven identified as the team’s strength and quarterback as the weak spot. The most intriguing part of the breakdown is the offensive line, which ESPN flagged as the key swing piece for 2026.
X factor for 2026: The remade offensive line. Four of the Browns’ five projected O-line starters weren’t in Cleveland last season, and the fifth -- Teven Jenkins -- started only four games.
The Browns are betting that the entirely new group will jell quickly and protect whoever is playing quarterback. The group is a mix of profiles, from first-round rookie Spencer Fano to versatile veteran Elgton Jenkins to guard Zion Johnson, whose run block win rate took a big step up last season.
The range of outcomes for this unit is wide. -- Walder
Only the Miami Dolphins are ranked below Cleveland, while former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski’s Atlanta Falcons sit just ahead of them in the projection.
In Other News...
Browns Fans Just Got A Striking New Sign On Draft Day Choice
The Browns draft-night posture said plenty about where this franchise is right now. With the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Cleveland passed on the quarterback conversation and went with left tackle Spencer Fano, continuing a pattern of caution around the games most important position. It was the kind of move that tells you the Browns are still looking to build the right foundation before forcing a long-term answer under center.
Ty Simpsons slide through the early part of the draft only sharpened the debate around how teams evaluated him, and Clevelands choice added another layer to that picture. The Browns have been careful about taking a quarterback unless the entire organization is aligned on the move, and this selection fit that approach. For fans hoping the draft would finally deliver a fresh start at quarterback, the message was more about patience than a quick fix. [Read more 🡒]
Deshaun Watson Isnt The Only Browns Contract Fans Should Be Worried About
Deshaun Watsons fully guaranteed $230 million contract has long been the obvious anchor around the Browns cap picture, but it is not the only deal that could leave the front office paying premium prices for less-than-premium production. Clevelands books have been shaped by that quarterback commitment for years, and the team is still sorting through the ripple effects of spending big on players whose value has not always matched the number attached to their name.
Tyson Campbell and Zion Johnson are the other contracts that stand out as the Browns evaluate where the roster is headed next. Campbell is set to make top-15 cornerback money, while Johnson is lined up among the highest-paid left guards, and both situations raise the same question Cleveland has been forced to ask more than once: is the team paying for upside, or paying past it? The good news for the Browns is that the financial picture should ease after this season, even if the Watson deal continues to cast a shadow for a while longer. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Still Has Denzel Ward Among The NFLs Best Corners
ESPNs latest positional rankings offered another reminder that Denzel Ward still belongs in the conversation with the NFLs best cornerbacks, even if the Browns veteran no longer sits as high as he once did. Ward remains one of the leagues more respected cover men thanks to his speed and steady play, a reputation that has helped him stay on the radar even as Clevelands roster has gone through plenty of change and the team has dealt with the fallout from the Myles Garrett trade.
Wards place in the rankings has taken a hit compared with where he stood a year ago, and there is some sense that the Browns recent struggles have played a role in how voters view him. Even so, the broader picture around Cleveland is not one of a teardown, with Andrew Berry not signaling a fire sale and Ward expected to stay put, leaving the Browns with one of the more recognizable defensive backs in the AFC. [Read more 🡒]