Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry delivered on his promise to make a “heavy investment” in the offense during the recently completed off-season.
Berry rebuilt the entire offensive line, highlighted by first-round selection Spencer Fano at left tackle, along with veteran additions Tytus Howard, Elgton Jenkins, and Zion Johnson. And, for good measure, they added tackle Austin Barber and center Parker Brailsford later in the draft.
The pass catchers also received an extreme makeover with the
selections of wide receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston and tight ends Joe Royer and Carsen Ryan, to go with incumbents Jerry Jeudy and Harold Fannin Jr.
Put all those together with returning running backs Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson and Raheim Sanders, and the Browns appear to have a solid core on offense. They may not be fully unlocked until Berry solves the quarterback position in 2027 (or later, since this is still the Browns), but, overall, it looks like the Browns are on track.
While the offense appears to be on the upswing, it is fair to ponder who will still be on the roster when the Browns pull up stakes and move to their new stadium in Brook Park for the start of the 2029 season.
The NFL is a league, after all, where the average career is just a little more than 3 years for the players, so let’s run through the current roster and make some educated guesses.
Offensive line
Fano plays a premium position and will still be on his rookie contract, so he is as close to a lock on offense as you will find. And the early reports about Barber have been positive, so if he lives up to expectations, he should be in the starting lineup along with Fano.
Everyone else is in the very soft maybe category, as Howard and Jenkins will both be 33, and Johnson will be entering his age-30 season. None of them will be old for an offensive lineman, but younger and better replacements should be in place by then.
Wide receiver
Concepcion and Boston are in. After them? It’s not so clear.
Jeudy’s contract runs through 2027, and if Concepcion and Boston are the real deal, it is hard to see Berry signing Jeudy to another contract. That becomes even more dicey if second-year wide receiver Isaiah Bond can up his game after being involved in a full offseason of work. Bond is no guarantee to still be with the Browns in 2029, but his chances are higher than Jeudy’s, for what that is worth.
Tight end
Expect to see Fannin in the marketing materials as the Browns prepare for the new era in Brook Park. After him, it is a bit of a crapshoot. Royer has good hands – always a plus when catching passes is part of the job description – and Ryan has potential, but this is a position group that will look much different come 2029.
Running back
Judkins appears to be the most likely among the group to still be here in three years. He was on his way to 1,000 rushing yards before being injured last season, so if he can continue to be a reliable option in the run game, he could hit the field in 2029 with a new contract in his pocket.
Running back is a position where the roster churns each season, probably more than any other position, so Judkins is the only player we feel safe saying will still be with the Browns in three years.
Quarterback
There is almost zero chance any of the four quarterbacks currently on the roster will still be with the team in 2029, let alone 2027—or even this fall.
So who made the final cut?
Fano, Barber, Concepcion, Boston, Fannin, and Judkins are in, which is more than the number of players on the defensive side of the ball, so that is at least promising.
Falling in the “maybe category” are Bond, Royer, and Ryan, with Howard, Jenkins, and Johnson landing on the “possibly but not likely” list.
There is still a long way to go before the Browns move to their new home, but it looks like they are finally building a solid core on offense, which is a good enough start for now.
What do you say, Browns fans? Did we get this right, or did we horribly botch the assignment? Let us know which current players on the offense will still be around in 2029 in the comments!
