The NFL offseason will be starting shortly, but the first step towards it was the NFL Scouting Combine taking place in Indianapolis. As usual, the Cleveland Browns front office was there, as well as newly hired Head Coach Todd Monken, to meet with potential draft prospects as the team will look to build some form of momentum in terms of their rebuild.
The team has questions that will need to be answered, and the combine was the perfect start to receive some clarity for those answers.
Did we get any
clarity?
How will the Browns address the QB situation?
The Browns quarterback situation isn’t the same as last year. Cleveland was essentially rebuilding the room last year, but this year it’s completely different. Despite making the Pro Bowl, quarterback Shedeur Sanders has not done enough to prove that he’s the undisputed starter going into 2026. Deshaun Watson, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, is looking to compete for the starting job.
As mentioned before, the Browns would be doing themselves a disservice by not bringing in outside competition to help improve the quality of the room. It’s rare for a team to commit to a 5th round pick. Despite what people will say, it’s about the reality of the situation. If Clevelands want to bring in outside competition, whether it’s signing Malik Willis in free agency, trading for a quarterback, or drafting one in a weak QB class, the Browns will have their options to choose from.
Coming out of the NFL combine, we know competition is likely, and there are rumors that Cleveland is interested in QB Ty Simpson.
Beyond that, we still have a lot of questions around the QB position.
What is the team’s approach to rebuilding the offensive line/skill positions?
The entire Browns offense is in need of a retooling of some sort. The offensive line will likely have to replace multiple starters, and the skill position room requires some form of a playmaker. The NFL Draft isn’t until April but the early tampering period for free agency starts in March. The Browns will clear up cap space (like they have been doing) and look for ways to improve the team.
Could the team sign a veteran wide receiver (i.e, Christian Kirk or Deebo Samuel) or trade for one? (A.J. Brown or Marvin Harrison Jr) Will the team sign an offensive tackle/guard in free agency or prefer to take both in the draft? GM Andrew Berry referenced how the Chicago Bears rebuilt their offensive line last year, then went out and traded for OT Tytus Howard a day after the NFL combine ended.
A week before the start of the NFL league year, all we know is that Dawand Jones is likely to be figured into the team’s offensive line plans, Howard has been added, and the 2026 NFL draft has a decent depth of talent on the offensive line and in the receiver group.
What are the expectations for the team’s ceiling for next season?
The Browns are currently in the middle of a rebuild, and so far, the rebuild is going according to plan. The team was competitive for most, if not the entire season. Having an elite defense but having a below-average offense/special teams unit prevented the team from potentially winning more games last season.
Looking at Cleveland’s future schedule, the team is likely going to have one of the easier schedules in the league, considering the divisions that the team will be going up against. It’s hard to imagine this team taking a step back if they address the offense and their rookie class continues to improve off of a strong rookie campaign. No one is expecting the team to be a Super Bowl contender next season (they aren’t even close to that), but if the team makes the necessary improvements on the offensive side of the ball and the defense doesn’t regress, then it’s not out of the possibility that this team is in the wild-card discussion. The front office isn’t necessarily thinking the playoffs are a must this year, but it is fair to wonder what the internal expectations are for this season.
At the NFL combine, Berry noted that they would make some moves this offseason in free agency but are planning on bigger ones the following year. That seems to note expectations are to improve, but in no way are they going to go “all in” in 2026.
