Cleveland

Browns

The Browns absolutely have to improve a wideout room that they’ve done little with this offseason, really only adding Tylan Wallace. Jerry Jeudy currently profiles as the No. 1 receiver and they may wind up with Isaiah Bond as the No. 2 as things stand. Tate makes all the sense in the world for the Browns from the outside looking in. Of course, it’s hard to say for sure that he’ll be there at No. 6 in a draft that’s this hard to identify real difference-makers in. But we’d be stunned if the Browns didn’t leave the first round of the draft with a wideout.

Jackson said that he believes “there will be a true competition” between Sanders and Watson in camp, but adds that “the most direct path to the Browns escaping the Watson mess” is for Sanders to take the job and provide “at least league-average quarterback play.” Watson has failed to live up to the massive five-year, $230 million contract the Browns gave him in 2022, appearing in just 19 games and posting a pedestrian 3,365-19-12 line, with a 9-10 record as a starter. Sanders struggled himself as a rookie, throwing for 1,400-7-10 while completing 56.6 percent of his passes and struggling to avoid sacks — a major hole in his game that popped up throughout his college career. The Browns could still take a shot on a rookie QB in this month’s draft, as they currently hold two first-round picks and another pick in the second and third rounds. However, if they don’t use a Day 1 or Day 2 pick on a signal-caller, things could quickly shape up for Sanders to win the QB battle, despite the front office recently hyping Watson in recent weeks.

Berry frequently trades back on, or before, draft day, so this is hardly surprising. Berry adds that if the Browns do end up keeping the pick, he has “no idea what we’re going to take at this point.” The Browns also possess the 24th and 39th picks this year. NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe previously reported that the Browns will likely try to “supplement the offense” by drafting a left tackle and a wide receiver early this season, before “maybe” drafting a quarterback next year. The roster has many needs and the front office is apparently considering a two-year turnaround, though QBs Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson will get a chance to prove themselves this year. That said, the more picks, the better.

The former fifth-round pick enjoyed a successful playing career. Walker spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Colts after being drafted in 2017. From 2021 to 2023, Walker signed three one-year deals with the Browns and, unfortunately, spent time on injured reserve in all three campaigns. He played for the Dolphins in 2024 and the Buccaneers in 2025. Across his nine-year career, Walker totaled 581 combined tackles, 362 solo tackles, 5.5 sacks and four interceptions.

Simpson, whose draft stock is rising daily, will almost assuredly go in the first round of the 2026 draft after throwing for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions over 15 games in 2025 as Alabama’s starting QB. Miami would be a strange landing spot for Simpson considering the team just signed Malik Willis to a significant contract that would imply he is locked in as the team’s Week 1 starter. Arizona seems to be an increasingly likely landing spot for Simpson considering Gardner Minshew and Jacoby Brissett are the only two quarterbacks on the roster at the moment. Simpson is likely to be the second QB off the draft board after Fernando Mendoza.

Monken is known for maximizing his quarterback’s potential in the passing game, but the trio of Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel may be a bridge too far for the 60-year-old, first-time head coach. That said, the Browns seem determined to find out, although we can’t rule out the team bringing in a rookie in next month’s draft. Watson’s time with the Browns has been forgettable to say the least. In four seasons with the team, the $230 million man who signed a five-year deal in 2022 has thrown for 3,365-19-12 in 19 games, and is working his way back from a torn Achilles he suffered in 2024. In fairness to Watson, things can’t get any worse, so maybe, should he win the QB1 job in camp, he will see better numbers with Monken calling the plays.

The Browns were set to finalize a one-year, $5 million contract with Epenesa, pending a physical. Evidently, that deal will not go through. Epenesa played through a “minor” pec injury suffered in late September, missed one game with a concussion, played through a foot injury in early December and a neck injury in the Divisional Round. Hopefully, he can rehab whatever is currently ailing him. Epenesa, 27, notched 28 quarterback pressures and three sacks last year.

Berry maintained that Judkins should be able to fully participate in training camp, which typically starts in late July. We had not yet heard whether he would participate in organized team activities (OTAs) and/or mandatory minicamp, but given Berry’s comments, we could see him doing drills with teammates in May. At worst, it sounds like Judkins should retake the field with his teammates for workouts in June.

The Browns modified Garrett’s contract language last week, in a manner that lowers Garrett’s dead money in the event of a trade, while also granting Cleveland extra time to work through bonus payouts for the next three seasons. Understandably, reporters, fans and NFL teams wondered if a trade was imminent. Evidently, the Browns have no desire to trade their star defender. Berry adds that he does not want to “waste a ton more breath on the topic.” Theoretically, this should put this story to rest.

Wolfe is standing by his report from February, in which he told viewers that they should not be surprised if the Browns abstain from drafting a quarterback this year. He believes that the Browns are likely to “supplement the offense” by spending their two first-round picks on a wide receiver and a left tackle this season before “maybe” drafting a quarterback next year. Per Wolfe, the Browns’ quarterback competition is between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson, seemingly rendering Dillon Gabriel a locked-in backup.