Just over three weeks into the new league year and the first two waves of free agency in the review mirror, the initial stages of roster building for the 2026 season have taken place.
Much can change from this stage until the initial 53-man roster is announced in August, with numerous roster decisions still to come throughout the offseason and through training camp. The 2026 NFL Draft is just three weeks away, set to begin on April 23, when teams will add new talent to their rosters.
The Browns have nine picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, including two picks in the first round at No. 6 and No. 24. They also signed eight new players and re-signed seven players.
So, let's take a look at where the roster stands three weeks out from the first night of the draft.
Quarterback
Cleveland's quarterback room currently consists of Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson. Gabriel and Sanders each made starts during their rookie seasons to gain valuable experience at quarterback, while Watson is returning from his Achilles injury that caused him to miss the 2025 season. While no changes have come to the room as of yet, Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry said at the NFL Scouting Combine and the NFL Annual Meeting that they are keeping their options open in the quarterback room. There will be a decision to come about who the starting quarterback will be for the 2026 season.
Running Back
The running back room is anchored by you two second-year players in Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson – both who developed in their roles during their rookie seasons. Judkins led the team with 827 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, while Sampson totaled 175 rushing yards and 271 receiving yards with two touchdowns. While Jerome Ford signed with the Commanders in free agency, the Browns still have depth options for the room with Ahmani Marshall and Raheim Sanders. Marshall spent portions of the 2025 season on the Browns' practice squad and Sanders appeared in four games with one start.
Wide Receiver
The Browns began to address the needs in their receiving corps during free agency, as they signed Tylan Wallace – who can also contribute on special teams. He joins a receiving corps that features Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman, as well as young players such as Isaiah Bond, Luke Floriea and Gage Larvadain. The Browns also tendered Jamari Thrash to bring back depth to room in March and had signed Isaiah Wooden to a reserve/futures contract in January. While their receiving corps saw its share of struggles in 2025, there is high belief in both Jeudy and their young players to build success in the pass game.
Tight End
Cleveland addressed a thinner tight end room after David Njoku became an unrestricted free agent when the new league year began on March 11. They signed Jack Stoll, re-signed Blake Whiteheart and tendered Brenden Bates. Whiteheart appeared in 17 games with four starts in 2025, while Bates appeared in six games. Stoll joins a position group led by second-year player Harold Fannin Jr., who led the Browns with 72 receptions during the 2025 season. The Browns also had previously signed Sal Cannella and Caden Prieskorn to reserve/futures contracts following the end of the 2025 season.
Offensive Line
The Browns' offensive line saw the biggest changes during the early stages of free agency, with six of their offensive line becoming free agents when the new league year began. They worked to re-build the offensive line by acquiring T Tytus Howard in a trade with the Texans, re-signing G Teven Jenkins and signing G Zion Johnson and C/G Elgton Jenkins. Their new additions join a unit that also features young players like T Dawand Jones, C Luke Wypler and G Zak Zinter, as well as depth pieces in C Kingsley Eguakun, G Jack Conley, OL Kendrick Green, OT Jeremiah Byers, T KT Leveston and T Tyre Phillips.
Defensive Line
Cleveland made a key addition to their defensive line by signing DT Kalia Davis and kept their depth in the unit with re-signing DE Julian Okwara and DT Sam Kamara. Davis and Kamara help fill out the interior of the defensive line that features Maliek Collins, Mason Graham, Mike Hall Jr. and Adin Huntington, while Okwara provides depth to the edge that is led by NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, Isaiah McGuire and Alex Wright.
Linebacker
The Browns added another key player to their linebacker room with the signing of Quincy Williams. He joins a unit lead by Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger – who led the team with 146 tackles and had two interceptions, 2.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss – and has depth pieces in Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Edefuan Ulofoshio and Nathaniel Watson.
Cornerback
Cleveland helped fortify their cornerback room by re-signing D'Angelo Ross and Tre Avery, both of whom spent time on the active roster during the 2025 season. They help round out the depth for a unit that features five-time Pro Bowler Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell, as well as with other depth players in Myles Harden and Dom Jones. Ward recorded 39 tackles, one interception and nine passes defensed in 2025, while Campbell finished the season tied for third in the NFL with 18 passes defensed.
Safety
The Browns worked to fill in their safeties, as they tendered Ronnie Hickman and signed Daniel Thomas to add key depth. Grant Delpit leads the unit, and they have additional depth players in Christopher Edmonds and Donovan McMillon. Delpit finished the 2025 season with 89 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, one interception and two passes defensed.
Specialists
The Browns are running it back with their specialists, as they tendered K Andre Szmytand LS Rex Sunahara, and re-signed P Corey Bojorquez. They had also previously signed P Nik Constantinou to a reserve/futures contract following the end of the 2025 season. After winning the starting job ahead of the 2025 season, Szmyt finished the year 24 of 27 on field goal attempts– including two game-winning field goals – and 25 of 26 on PATs. Bojorquez returns for his fifth season with the Browns, after he led the league in punting yards with 4,165 for the 2025 season.
