All articles tagged with #cleveland browns
NFL Network analysts assess 32 teams' wide receiver needs for the 2026 draft, with several candidates and picks highlighting the Saints, Browns, Commanders, Titans, and Eagles as teams most in need of a top WR, and Carnell Tate and other WR prospects in contention for those slots.
The Browns announced quarterback Shedeur Sanders will switch from No. 12 to No. 2 for the 2026 season, a number he has worn in high school and college. The jersey became available after DeAndre Carter left the team. Sanders, who earned a Pro Bowl berth last season, is aiming to build on a rookie campaign that produced about 1,400 passing yards, 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions over eight games.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam says Deshaun Watson will get a fresh start under new coach Todd Monken, with Watson’s job potentially up for grabs in 2026 after missing the 2025 season with injuries; in-house contenders Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel remain, and outside moves could come into play as Cleveland maps its QB plan.
The Browns announced that Shedeur Sanders will wear No. 2 in his second NFL season, switching from No. 12—the number he wore at Colorado and a top-selling Browns jersey last year. Changing numbers can trigger costly inventory issues for teams and fans; it’s unclear who would pay for remaining No. 12 jerseys, though Nike/NFL may grant a dispensation given the likely surge in demand for No. 2.
The Cleveland Browns withdrew their proposal to allow trading NFL draft picks up to five years in the future; the current limit of three years remains in effect. The idea aimed to improve roster flexibility but was viewed with doubt about passage at the Annual League Meeting. Teams can still propose the rule in the future. The Browns also reiterated they aren’t trading star defender Myles Garrett, with Berry saying Garrett will stay in Cleveland for now.
Browns GM Andrew Berry said the team will not trade star edge rusher Myles Garrett, calling him a 'career Brown' and a cornerstone of the franchise. Garrett had previously requested a trade and signed a four-year, $160 million extension last year; after Cleveland went 5-12 in 2025, the team tweaked his contract to facilitate a potential trade, but Berry declined to revisit the topic, emphasizing Garrett's value to the organization.
A contract restructuring for Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett, which increases cap flexibility and makes a trade more feasible, has fueled speculation about trade destinations across the NFL—with teams like the Bears, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, Patriots, Eagles, and Bills mentioned as possibilities—though Cleveland would likely demand significant draft capital and face a major dead-cap hit, keeping a Garrett deal uncertain.
The Browns insist they will not trade star defensive end Myles Garrett after restructuring his contract, dismissing trade rumors as unrelated to the deal and reaffirming their stance despite past trade requests and Garrett's record-breaking 2025 season.
A speculative piece argues the Buffalo Bills could pursue star edge rusher Myles Garrett in 2026 now that Cleveland restructured his contract to enable a potential post‑June 1 trade; for 2026 Garrett would count about $23.5M on the Browns’ cap if kept, but a late‑summer trade could free roughly $13M in cap space for Cleveland, while Buffalo could absorb an $8.34M cap hit (about $31.5M in cash) if acquired; the trade cost is portrayed as likely starting with three first‑round picks, with other suitors like the Rams, Eagles, and Cowboys also mentioned; Cleveland even floated a hypothetical five‑year draft‑pick window in a proposed rule—readers are invited to discuss the idea in the comments.
The Browns have proposed expanding the NFL's draft-pick trading window from three to five years to boost trades and roster-building flexibility; the Steelers want to make one-hour video/phone calls with up to five unrestricted free agents during the legal tampering period permanent, and more rule changes could be debated at the league meetings.
NFL owners were presented with 2026 proposals from the Steelers and Browns. Pittsburgh seeks to permanently allow direct talks with up to five unrestricted free agents during the negotiating window and to simplify travel planning in the pre-free agency period; Cleveland wants to expand the tradable draft-pick window from three to five years. Both proposals require 24 votes to pass, with Competition Committee ideas to be revealed next week; Rams-related two-point-play proposals remain unclear.
The Browns signed free-agent defensive end A.J. Epenesa to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million after five seasons with the Bills, and also added wide receiver/returner Tylan Wallace, who followed coach Todd Monken from Baltimore. Epenesa posted 32 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 9 QB hits, 2 interceptions and 4 passes defensed in 2025; Wallace, a 2021 fourth-round pick, appeared in 14 games last season with 4 receptions for 45 yards and a TD (plus kickoff returns), and has career totals of 22 receptions for 305 yards and 2 TDs in five seasons.
With holes still to fill, Cleveland is eyeing three free-agent targets—OT Rasheed Walker, S Nick Scott, and WR Jauan Jennings—to bolster the roster ahead of the NFL draft. Walker would shore up the tackle spot with a short, strong deal; Scott would bring veteran versatility to the secondary; Jennings would add a dynamic, albeit injury-prone, receiving option. Projections cited: Walker four years, $81 million; Scott two years, $10 million; Jennings three years, $67 million, while the team may still lean on Dawand Jones, Tytus Howard, and draft picks to finish the line and receiver corps.
Cleveland GM Andrew Berry has used contract restructurings and dummy years to create current salary-cap space, but the Browns face heavy dead-cap charges in 2026 from departed players such as Bitonio, Conklin, Njoku, Teller, and the voided Watson years, with post-June 1 designations spreading some charges into 2026–27 and looming further hits through 2027–28; the strategy prioritizes a younger roster and draft leverage, at the cost of compensatory picks and long-term financial exposure.
Day 2 of NFL free agency has Cleveland weighing four top targets to bolster the roster—OT Rasheed Walker, WR Romeo Doubs, OL guard Teven Jenkins, and P Tommy Townsend—while Bitonio’s potential departure looms. Updates show Doubs signed with the Patriots, Jenkins re-signed with Cleveland, and Walker’s market may be softer than expected, leaving the Browns to decide how aggressively to pursue additions.