Daniel OyefusiMar 8, 2026, 10:00 AM
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Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry, speaking last month at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, referenced the Chicago Bears as a model to overhaul an offensive line in one offseason.
Berry alluded to the myriad ways Chicago upgraded the trenches last year, from internal development (Darnell Wright), trades (Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson), free agent signings (Drew Dalman) and the draft (Ozzy Trapilo).
Just days after those comments, Berry took the first step to fixing the Browns' much-maligned offensive line. Cleveland acquired Houston Texans offensive tackle Tytus Howard, and then signed him to a two-year, $45 million extension, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
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It was the first of what will be many moves to rectify an offense that ranked last in scoring over the past two seasons. With needs at offensive line, wide receiver and quarterback, Berry has said significant resources will be used to improve the offense under first-year head coach Todd Monken.
At noon ET on Monday, NFL teams can enter contract negotiations with unrestricted free agents. At 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, when the new league year starts, deals can be finalized and made official.
Here's what you need to know about the Browns' free agency plans, from salary cap space to internal free agents and possible targets.
Will the Browns have cap space to make moves?
Yes. The Browns were projected to be over the cap in 2026, but became cap compliant after a series of roster moves, most notably restructuring quarterback Deshaun Watson's contract to lower his $80.7 million cap hit.
The amount of Cleveland's cap room is unknown, as Howard's extension will also be finalized once the new league year starts. Over the Cap lists the Browns' cap space at $33 million, excluding the Howard contract. Berry has said Cleveland will have "ample" cap space and the potential to be more aggressive than last year.
"It'll be targeted and opportunistic," Berry said at the combine. "Realistically, we may be one more offseason away from being hyper-aggressive in that window, but if there's something that fits us, fits our roster, fits our timeline, then it's certainly a swing we'll take."
Where do things stand with Cleveland's free agents?
In what Berry has called a strategic pivot, the Browns have been infusing the roster with younger talent and parting ways with longtime veterans. Tight end David Njoku and right guard Wyatt Teller, both impending free agents, have already announced that they will not return to Cleveland in 2026.
Teller is one of four Week 1 offensive line starters and six offensive linemen set to become free agents. Another, left guard Joel Bitonio, is contemplating retirement. Berry said the team would "absolutely" welcome Bitonio back to Cleveland if he wishes to play a 13th NFL season.
The acquisition of Howard, a longtime right tackle, likely signals that Jack Conklin will not return. Starting center Ethan Pocic is rehabbing an Achilles injury that he sustained in Week 14; Berry said, "Everything's on the table depending on how these different player markets shake out."
The Browns' top unrestricted free agent on defense is linebacker Devin Bush. The 2019 first-round pick has made a little less than $5 million over the past two seasons in Cleveland, but he's due for a pay raise after posting career highs in tackles (125) and interceptions (3) in 2025. The Browns met with Bush's representation at the combine and are hoping to retain him on a new deal.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr., who made 33 starts from 2022 to 2024, is also slated for free agency after missing the 2025 season because of a left Achilles tear. Berry acknowledged Emerson's future in Cleveland is "unsettled." The Browns have a pair of starting cornerbacks under contract in Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell, and Emerson has played limited snaps at nickel corner.
In his first year as the Browns' head coach, Todd Monken is set to have a busy offseason assembling his roster. Nick Cammett/Getty Images
Which position groups could add players?
Offensive line
Cleveland has some heavy lifting to do along its offensive line but got off to an early start in trading for Howard.
Left tackle remains a glaring hole, though, with limited viable options. The top free agent tackle, according to ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen, is Rasheed Walker. Walker, a 2022 seventh-round pick of the Green Bay Packers, registered a pass block win rate of 93.8% in 2025 that ranked 11th among 68 qualifying offensive tackles.
The only other tackles in Bowen's list of top-100 free agents who have taken a significant number of snaps at left tackle in their careers are the New York Giants' Jermaine Eluemunor and the Chicago Bears' Braxton Jones.
The Seattle Seahawks' Josh Jones is another stopgap option. The 28-year-old spent this past season as the swing tackle for the Super Bowl champions but filled in well during the final three games of the regular season when left tackle Charles Cross was sidelined because of injury; Jones was 34th out of 66 tackles in pass block win rate and 39th out of 69 tackles in run block win rate during those games. Jones, who played under Monken for one season in 2024 with the Baltimore Ravens, has taken snaps at both tackle spots and at right guard.
In the interior offensive line, Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum has connections to Monken, new offensive coordinator Travis Switzer and offensive line coach George Warhop. Linderbaum is likely to reset the center market -- the Kansas City Chiefs' Creed Humphrey currently sits at the top at $18 million per year.
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Though Switzer named Luke Wypler, who sustained a knee injury in the season finale, as a player he is excited to work with, a more proven option at center who might agree to a less expensive contract could be Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays. The 26-year-old has 27 career starts and 20 of them have come at center, with the remaining seven coming at both guard positions. Mays has made all of his starts at center during the past two seasons. In 2025, he ranked 20th among centers in pass block win rate and 25th in run block win rate.
Washington Commanders guard Chris Paul and Los Angeles Chargers guard Zion Johnson are possible targets for Cleveland. Paul, 27, has 23 career starts, all at left guard. This past season, Paul ranked eighth out of 65 qualifying guards in pass block win rate and 46th out of 62 guards in run block win rate.
Johnson, 26, has 65 career starts, spending his rookie season at right guard before moving to left guard during the past three seasons. In 2025, Johnson ranked 15th among guards in run block win rate but was 62nd among guards in pass block win rate.
Wide receiver and tight end
The Browns will need additions at wide receiver and tight end, given Monken's affinity for multiple tight ends sets and a receiver room that was the least productive in the NFL in 2025 (1,467 receiving yards).
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce is the top free agent wide receiver available after the team did not tag him. Pierce, 25, led the league in yards per catch (21.3) in 2025. With the state of Cleveland's offense, it might be tough to entice top wideouts. The Browns, though, have a history of trading for veteran wide receivers under Berry, and the team could explore that market again to bring in a pass catcher.
At tight end, a pair of former players under Monken are set to be free agents in Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar. Likely, 25, has been a big-play pass catcher (15 career touchdowns in four seasons) with the versatility to line up in multiple spots. Stylistically, he mirrors current Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. instead of the traditional inline tight end.
The opportunities for Kolar, 27, have been limited because he has split snaps with Likely and Mark Andrews. But Kolar emerged as a reliable contributor for the Ravens as a blocker, pass catcher and occasional quarterback sneak option. Kolar has just 409 career receiving yards, but could step into a larger role in Cleveland and take on the inline snaps vacated by Njoku.
Another more team-friendly option to pair with Fannin could be Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich. The 2022 third-round pick's career got off to a strong start in Denver before a nagging hamstring injury. Dulcich, 25, caught on with the Dolphins in 2025 and was one of the more efficient tight ends in the league on a per-route basis late in the season. From Weeks 9 to 18, Dulcich's 2.66 yards per route was second only to the San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle among 29 qualifying tight ends. At 6-4 and 245 pounds, Dulcich has the size and versatility to line up in interchangeable positions with Fannin. The Browns had interest in Dulcich before the 2022 draft, hosting him on a "top 30" visit.
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Quarterback
Quarterback holds the most intrigue, though, and it remains to be seen what Cleveland has planned.
The Browns are expected to look into free agency for a possible QB addition. The options include a quarterback in Malik Willis, who has six career starts but could command a deal worth upward of $20 million a season after a successful stint filling in for injured Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love. The Browns were wary of overpaying quarterbacks last offseason; would they have an appetite for Willis' contract demands? Even so, would he pick Cleveland over other suitors?
Kyler Murray and Geno Smith are expected to be released by the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders, respectively, at the start of the league year. Due to the guaranteed money on their contracts, it is widely believed they would sign contracts with their new teams that have low base salaries and potentially even at the league minimum. That would take money out as a top deciding factor and make their decision solely based on the appeal of the opportunity.
Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins are the other QBs listed in Bowen's top-100 list. Otherwise, Cleveland would be picking stopgap options, such as Marcus Mariota and Tyrod Taylor.