The belief of myself and plenty of people covering the team is that the depth of the roster is worse this year. That is a hypothesis that I wanted to explore in these two articles. What we find might challenge that belief but it might confirm it to be true.
When I am talking about depth I am going to focus on the next man up, so wide receiver four, not five and six. For rotational spots like the defensive line I will take edge three and four into account as they play meaningful minutes week in, week out. Edge five is of little interest as it a game day inactive position. This is also going to be the depth entering the season, not at the end of it. So Fannin played his way up the depth chart but Njoku was the starter for the early portion.
Rather than compare this year to the previous one which gives us a high variance, I am going to do the previous three years to this current season. At times having a young promising player as depth is a very good place to be, if that player is a late day three pick or UDFA, then it is more likely luck you found them than part of a strategic plan.
You won't read me discussing starters in this piece, yes they are important in roster building, but since I have wrote extensively on them, I wanted to explore beyond the starters.
Quarterback
Previous Depth
2023: Dorian Thompson-Robinson
2024: Jameis Winston
2025: Dillon Gabriel (They knew Watson was going to be injured in 2025, so I'm not taking him into account here)
2026: Shedeur Sanders
If you go back further than 2023 then they have three years of proven veteran backups behind the starting quarterback. Since then it has mostly been a case of exploring mid round quarterbacks in the hope they strike gold. It hasn't worked but it is a better strategy than bringing in a player who has proven they can't win on another team. Watching and listening to Jameis Winston is more fun than any of those three other names but he has no chance of being a long term answer.
I think Sanders despite having a very small chance of being a long term answer, has more long term promise than the three names before him, so I would take this as a positive for depth compared to previous years.
Conclusion - Depth Up
Running Back
Previous Depth
2023: Jerome Ford
2024: Jerome Ford
2025: JeromeFord
2026: Dylan Sampson
After years of people telling me that I was harsh on Jerome Ford and he was better than the replacement level player I described him as. He showed very little with the Commanders and after picking up a knock he has been released with an injury settlement.
Sampson is a really intriguing player for me, brilliant as a pass catcher, it is now a case of can he develop his rushing ability and pass blocking. It is a better upside position than Ford. I feel it is one where a veteran could play better here, but if he develops more across this year, then the growing pains might be worth taking.
Conclusion - Depth Up
Wide Receiver
Previous Depth
2023: Cedric Tillman
2024: Cedric Tillman
2025: Jamari Thrash
2026: Isaiah Bond
After years of trying to convince ourselves that the Browns had wide receiver talent they have finally delivered. Bond was the third wide receiver last year, he is now fourth on the depth chart. Tillman was number two, he is now battling for a roster spot alongside Thrash.
To finally be in the position where they might move on from receivers and they land on another teams 53 shows how far they have come in finally addressing an under invested position room.
Conclusion - We Finally Have Depth
Tight End
Previous Depth
2023: Jordan Akins
2024: Jordan Akins
2025: Harold Fannin
2026: Blake Whiteheart
While Carson Ryan has shown some flashes as a third tight end, they have absolutely nothing as far as I can see in terms of depth behind Fannin this year. I struggle to see them entering the year with Blake Whiteheart having to step up if they get an injury. Joe Royer's absence has been unhelpful but relying on a fifth round pick with no backup plan is a risky proposition.
Maybe there is a master plan and they sign or add someone before week one, because their current depth chart is negligence for a position room that Monken has previously relied on heavily.
Conclusion - What Depth
Offensive Line
Previous Depth
2023: Dawand Jones & Nick Harris
2024: Dawand Jones & Zak Zinter
2025: Cornelius Lucas & Teven Jenkins
2026: KT Leveston & Austin Barber
Last year the Cleveland Browns had two very experienced and trustworthy pieces of depth on their offensive line. While Lucas struggled in 2025, he has a long career of being a very reliable tackle when coming in as a swing. Teven Jenkins is a top half of the league guard when healthy but health is the major red flag that has scared many teams off of him.
This season it is very much a youth movement when it comes to next man up. While no one knows how Leveston and Barber will produce in a longer run of regular season games, I'm certainly willing to find out as it will help the team longer term. We could have one or both starting on the team next year.
Conclusion - Break Even
Conclusion
Offensively they are in a much better spot, I fear for tomorrow's defensive piece.
As Jack Sparrow once famously said: "Why is the rum gone?", there is a reason sometimes of "Why is the depth gone?". Tanking is a strong word that people love to throw around. I don't think any team intentionally loses. Not aiming to compete, that's fair.
With the QB room they have they aren't trying to make the playoffs in 2026. But they might have tried and vets told them no. Why would they want to be on a roster with Watson and Sanders rather than be a bridge or starter elsewhere. I'm not trading a decent pick for Mac Jones etc. winning an extra three games and needing a QB in April isn't worth giving up a 2nd round pick potentially.
There are a few position rooms they appear to be favoring youth over veteran experience. That might not lead to more wins in 2026 but if it brings Cotes and some other players along it will benefit the team longer term hopefully.
If you enjoyed this article, here are some others by Jack Duffin
2026 Cleveland Browns Roster Prediction
As the offseason goes along I will update my prediction for what the roster will look like come week one.
June: Offensive Prediction - Defensive Prediction - Practice Squad
VIP: Offensive Prediction Post Bears, Defensive Prediction Post Bears
Snap Counts & Quick Takeaways
Chicago Bears (Preseason Game 1) - Buffalo Bills (Preseason Game 2)
Cleveland Browns 2027 Age Guardrails Draft Boards (OBR VIP)
The guardrails examine how Andrew Berry has operated in the past and then project this forward into the next draft class. While he could draft an older player or someone less athletic than they have ever done before, it is a solid starting point for players he is most likely to target.
June - July - August
VIP Bonus Articles
Some VIP articles just don't fit in any of the above categories so I will link them here:
Cash Spending By Position 2020 to 2030 - Breaking Down The Alex Wright Extension - 2026 Stock Up/Down Offensive Players - 2026 Stock Up/Down Defensive Players - Grant Delpit Extension Prediction - Browns 2027 Extension Candidates & Potential Contracts - What Should A Denzel Ward Extension Cost The Browns?
Bonus Articles
Some free read articles just don't fit in any of the above categories so I will link them here:
When Will Deshaun Watson Leave Cleveland - Practice Squad Rules & Cost - Browns Starters From 2016 to 2025 - Dummy Years, Watson & Who Else - How Dead Cap Helps, Not Hinders The Browns - What Has Caused The Browns Improved Drafting - What Does Logan Fano's Guarantees Mean - What The Renegotiated Dawand Jones Contract Means - JOK Insurance & Financial Impact - Financials After Trading Myles Garrett - Browns Can Trade Denzel Ward, But They Shouldn't - How Much Cash Can The Cleveland Browns Spending In 2026 & 2027 - Way Too Early 2027 Browns Roster Prediction - Realistic Deshaun Watson Extension - Revisited: Rookie Year Expectations For The 2025 Draft Picks - Rookie Year Expectations For 2026 Draft Picks (Day One, Day Two & Day Three) - Players Battling To Make the 2026 Roster (Offensive & Defensive) - Salary Cap Update Post Rookies Signing & Garrett Trade - Cleveland Browns Cash Spending Continues To Fall - Five Biggest Weaknesses Heading Into 2026 Season (1 Quarterback, 2 Offensive Line & 3 Young Roster, 4 Coverage Unit & #5 Lack Of Depth) - Deshaun Watson Insurance: What We Know & What We Don't Know - 2027 Free Agents, Who Is Playing For Their Jobs & Future - Browns 2027 Cut Candidates - Proven Performance Escalator: Browns Players Getting A Raise - When, Not If, The Browns Restructure Denzel Ward Contract - Understanding The Browns Spending Philosophy & Why It Is Sustainable - Salary Cap: What Matters, What Doesn't Really Matter - PUP Lists & Failed Physical Designation - Cleveland Browns What If..? (#1 They Lose The Final Two Games Of The 2025 Season, #2 The NFL Correctly Calls The Kansas City 2020 Playoff Game, #3 They Hire Sean McDermott Over Hue Jackson, #4 They Don't Trade For Deshaun Watson & #5 They Go Full John Dorsey) - Browns Only Gave Denzel Ward A Minor Raise, Now Official Numbers Released - Browns Week One Quarterback Odds Don't Match Training Narratives - Grant Delpit Contract Details Confirmed, Less Than Initially Reported - Browns 2026 Storyline Heading Into 2027 (Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Offensive Line) - 11th March 2027, The Day Watson Gets Cut - Yes The Browns Can Cut Deshaun Watson Now, But It Will Cost Them The 2027 Season - Why The Browns Could Be The Top Landing Spot For A New Head Coach Next Year