As Cleveland heads toward training camp, the Browns’ biggest unresolved issue is still the one that never seems to go away: quarterback.
That’s the first of ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi’s three “lingering questions” for the Browns entering 2026, and it sits right where it has for a while in the team’s conversation. The offensive line has been upgraded, the wide receiver room got a refresh this offseason, and RB Quinshon Judkins plus TE Harold Fannin Jr. are viewed as the foundation of the offense’s future. But the quarterback spot remains the headline.
On the other side of the ball, Cleveland is trying to keep its defense on elite footing after major changes. The Browns are now looking to replace DE Myles Garrett and DC Jim Schwartz, and the Garrett deal brought in DE Jared Verse, which immediately raises the pressure on the young edge rusher. Cleveland, though, still believes it has enough to stay strong defensively.
Verse is not Garrett as a pass rusher, but he has already shown he can be a disruptive force. The Browns are also leaning on a veteran core that includes CBs Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell, with younger pieces like Carson Schwesinger and Mason Graham part of the mix as well.
The third issue Oyefusi pointed to is whether Cleveland will extend safety Grant Delpit and Ward. Ward and Delpit are two of the team’s most established players, and league sources have indicated the Browns are open to new deals with both defensive standouts.
If Verse and Graham help keep the defense at a high level and the offense cuts down on mistakes, Cleveland could be more competitive in 2026 than it was a year ago. And if the Browns can stack a few wins before the NFL trade deadline, that could boost the chances of Ward and/or Delpit getting extensions instead of being moved.
In Other News...
Former Browns First Round Pick Already Drawing Harsh Giants Buzz
Greg Newsome IIs next stop is already creating a buzz that Browns fans know all too well. The former Cleveland first-round corner signed a one-year deal with the Giants after a brief run in Jacksonville, and the conversation around him has quickly shifted from pedigree to whether his recent play can hold up in a tougher spotlight.
Newsomes recent numbers have fueled the skepticism, with his passer ratings allowed climbing in each of the last two seasons and some around the league wondering if the Giants are buying a bounce-back that may not come. Cleveland, meanwhile, has reason to feel good about how its own cornerback shuffle has played out after bringing in Tyson Campbell, whose fit and contract structure have looked increasingly favorable for the Browns. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Suddenly Have A Tough Dawand Jones Decision To Make
The Browns offensive line is headed for a reset in 2026, and that leaves Dawand Jones in a more precarious spot than he has occupied before. With several former starters no longer in the picture, Cleveland has to sort through who fits where, and Jones is no longer just a familiar depth piece in that conversation. His role as a swing tackle still matters, but it is also the kind of spot that can change quickly when a team starts reworking the edges of its line.
Austin Barber is part of what makes this decision feel so unsettled, because the rookie is already in the mix to push for the backup tackle job. If Cleveland decides Jones is more valuable elsewhere, there should be interest from teams with obvious tackle needs, including the Lions, Chiefs and Packers. For the Browns, the question is whether they want to keep betting on a player with a shaky hold on the job or see what the market says before the offseason gets away from them. [Read more 🡒]
Myles Garrett May Have Overshadowed A Huge Browns Defensive Development
Mason Graham did not arrive in Cleveland with the kind of spotlight that usually follows a top defensive tackle, but his rookie season gave the Browns something real to build on. He started all 17 games, held up as a steady presence inside and showed enough pass-rush juice to suggest he can be more than just a space-eater, even while the attention around the defense stayed fixed on Myles Garrett.
Garretts move to the Rams changes the conversation around Clevelands front, and it also changes the opportunity in front of Graham. He already showed he could create interior pressure, especially after Maliek Collins went down in the second half of the season, and the Browns even used him in a more flexible role with snaps outside the tackle. If there is a quiet candidate to take a bigger Year 2 step and help absorb some of what Garrett leaves behind, Graham is suddenly in the middle of that discussion. [Read more 🡒]