The Cleveland Browns have reached an agreement on a contract extension to retain a key part of their defensive line beyond the current season.
The agreement follows a 2025 campaign in which the defensive tackle contributed to the Browns’ pass rush before a quadriceps injury ended his season.
Browns secure defensive line with new deal
The Cleveland Browns have agreed to a two-year, $30 million contract extension with defensive tackle Maliek Collins, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. The deal includes $23 million in guaranteed money. ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reported the agreement, and Collins’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed the financial terms.
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Oct 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Maliek Collins (96) with defensive end Jared Verse (8) and and defensive end Derek Barnett (97) after a sack against the Baltimore Ravens in the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
The news comes as the Browns are also carefully considering when to bring Deshaun Watson back into game action.
The extension has an average annual value of $15 million and is expected to keep Collins in Cleveland through the 2028 season. He previously signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the Browns in March 2025 after leaving the San Francisco 49ers. That agreement included $13 million in guaranteed money.
Collins began his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, who selected him in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft with the 67th overall pick. Before entering the league, he played college football at the University of Nebraska.
He spent his first four NFL seasons with Dallas before joining the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020. Collins then played for the Houston Texans from 2021 through 2023. During the 2023 season, he recorded 41 tackles and five sacks.
In 2024, Collins joined the 49ers and appeared in all 17 games, finishing the season with 33 tackles and five sacks. He left San Francisco in March 2025 to sign with Cleveland.
During his first season with the Browns, Collins recorded 6.5 sacks in 12 games, the highest single-season total of his NFL career. He also registered 13 quarterback hits. His 2025 campaign ended on November 30, when he suffered a quadriceps injury during a game against the 49ers.
Collins continued his rehabilitation during the 2026 offseason and returned for the start of the 2026 season. Through the Browns’ first six games of the 2026 season, he had recorded 3.5 sacks, 16 tackles, eight quarterback hits and 18 quarterback pressures. His sack total ranked second on the team during that period.
Browns head coach Todd Monken also commented on Collins’ performance. Monken said, “I voted for him All-Pro last year. I voted for him.”
As of October 25, 2026, Cleveland had a 4–2 record ahead of its scheduled road game against the Tennessee Titans that day.
Collins remains under contract with Cleveland through 2028 following the agreement. His career includes a single-season high of 6.5 sacks in 2025, followed by his return to the field in 2026 after the injury.
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