The Browns are heading toward roster cuts with a few holes still begging for attention, and the front office may not be done shopping. With the regular season looming, Cleveland could still dip into the free-agent market to shore up some shaky spots before Week 1 arrives.
At defensive end, the need is hard to ignore. Cleveland already added Derek Barnett, but the group is still light, especially after a deal with AJ Epenesa fell through earlier in the year.
The Browns also brought Jadeveon Clowney and Za’Darius Smith in for visits more recently, only to watch both sign elsewhere. Then came another hit: projected starter Alex Wright suffered an Achilles’ injury that will keep him out for the whole 2026 campaign.
That is why Haason Reddick still makes sense, even with the warning labels attached. His last two seasons have been rough, with just 3.5 sacks across 23 games -- 14 starts -- split between the Jets and Bucs.
But the bigger picture still matters here: this is a player who once put together four straight seasons with at least 11 sacks while playing for three different teams. In Cleveland, he would not have to carry the defense as the main attraction.
He’d be working in a secondary role behind newcomer Jared Verse.
The secondary could use help too, and this is where Mike Hilton stands out. It is a little surprising that a player once viewed as the best nickelback in the game is still unsigned this late in the year, but that’s where things stand.
The Browns feel set on the outside with Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell, yet the depth behind them is shaky enough to matter. Hilton would be an immediate upgrade over Myles Harden, Tre Avery or D’Angelo Ross, while Cleveland sorts through camp standout Michael Coates Jr., an undrafted rookie who has dealt with a couple injuries over the last couple of weeks.
If either of the top two cornerbacks goes down later, the team would be thin on game day without another reliable option.
Running back is the third spot that deserves a look, especially after Nick Chubb’s official retirement a few days ago took him out of the picture. Alexander Mattison fits as a low-cost answer who could help ease the load on Quinshon Judkins.
He comes off a four-touchdowns season with the Raiders and brings a career average of 3.9 yards per carry, not far from Judkins’ 3.6. More importantly, Mattison is trusted in pass protection, which matters a lot when you’re talking about a backup who may need to be on the field in real situations.
In Other News...
Browns Preseason Rout Put Two Encouraging Storylines In Focus
Dillon Gabriels preseason showing gave Cleveland a useful glimpse at how the quarterback rotation can look when things are clicking. He guided multiple scoring drives in the Browns 37-13 win over New England, and the connection with Luke Floriea stood out with two touchdown passes. For a team still sorting through roster battles and depth-chart questions, it was the kind of clean offensive work that can make August snaps feel meaningful.
The Browns also got what they wanted on the other side of the ball, with the defense stacking up interceptions and sacks while keeping the Patriots from settling in. New England cycled through Tommy DeVito, Behren Morton and Taylen Green at quarterback, but Cleveland controlled the game enough to leave the bigger takeaway on its own sideline. The performance added to two encouraging storylines the Browns can carry deeper into the preseason, even if the real test is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Sent A Strong Message In Final Roster Crunch
The Browns 37-13 preseason win over New England did more than pad an August box score. It gave Cleveland one more reminder that the roster it is carrying into the season has started to look deeper and more organized than the one across the field, especially when the game shifted into the kinds of snaps where fringe players are fighting for jobs.
Mike Vrabel came away pointing to the Patriots depth and coverage issues, with the secondary drawing particular concern as the regular season gets closer. For the Browns, the takeaway is less about style points than confidence in the final roster crunch, where every clean series and every reliable reserve matters when cuts and roles are being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Made Their Quarterback Problem Even Tougher To Solve
The Browns left their preseason finale with a quarterback room that suddenly looks more crowded than clarified. Deshaun Watson is still in the mix, but Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green both turned in promising showings, giving Cleveland more to weigh as it sorts through four passers for a roster that is expected to shrink before the regular season.
Shedeur Sanders is also part of the equation, which only adds to the difficulty of a decision that already carries obvious long-term implications. Cleveland now has to decide which three quarterbacks fit best, and with Gabriel and Green making their case, the final cut may say as much about the Browns future as it does about their immediate plans. [Read more 🡒]