The 2025 NFL season is right around the corner but the mandatory break for players and coaches leaves a little time to look ahead while they take a break. DBN spoke with Cleveland Browns special team coordinator Bubba Ventrone during his break from the team to get a feel for how his unit is looking and his expectations, for example.
While we are preparing for the Browns Week 1 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, looking ahead to next offseason is on the minds of some national folks. Much like our
“way-too-early” NFL mock drafts, The NFL Network has decided to look ahead to the upcoming 2026 NFL free agency class.
Only one player from Cleveland’s roster made their list of the top 25 pending free agents, OL Wyatt Teller, who was listed at #13:
Teller became a top-tier guard soon after arriving in Cleveland, but he will be 31 at the start of his next contract and might not fit the Browns’ timeline.
The Browns youth movement could drastically impact the noted “timeline” with Teller. Signing a guard over the age of 30 to a big contract may not fit where the team’s competitive schedule is.
Teller is far from the only major free agent on Cleveland’s roster. In fact, four of the five starting offensive linemen are set for free agency: Teller, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic and Jack Conklin. On top of that, injured CB Martin Emerson, TE David Njoku, CB Greg Newsome II, QB Joe Flacco, RB Jerome Ford and many others are currently playing on expired contracts.
NFL Network’s list of free agents is an interesting one, with very few impact players under the age of 30, starting with edge rusher Nik Bonitto of the Denver Broncos at the top and fellow edge rusher Jaelan Phillips third on their list. After that, the list has a few cornerbacks and interior offensive linemen.
Next year’s free agent class might be a down year with WR Rashid Shaheed coming in at number ten on their list, despite never catching 50 passes in a season and having a career high of 719 yards receiving.
