Browns DE Myles Garrett More Likely To Get Raise Than Be Traded?
The Browns’ recent adjustment to Myles Garrett‘s contract once again stirred trade speculation about the five-time All-Pro, but the team has consistently refuted those claims. A pay raise to match the top of an ever-rising edge rusher market is thought to be more likely, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
Garrett, 30, requested a trade last offseason and instead received a four-year, $160MM extension that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history. He has since been surpassed by six players, including four edge rushers led by Micah Parsons at $46.5MM per year.
Now, Will Anderson is projected to approach a $50MM AAV on his long-term extension with the Texans. But statistically, Garrett is still the best in the league. Last year, he set a single-season record with 23.0 sacks and led the NFL with 33 tackles for loss, which earned him his second Defensive Player of the Year trophy in the last three years. Until and unless another player is able to match or surpass his production, he will always have an argument to see his contract value rise with the market.
Cleveland was willing to hand Garrett a new deal last offseason, perhaps partially out of appreciation for his patience with their never-ending rebuild. But he is now under contract through 2030, so a raise via an extension may not make sense. The two sides could instead agree on an entirely new deal, which may have been the motivation for the recent contract modification. By pushing back the option payment date, they have more time to see where the market goes over the next few months and reward Garrett appropriately before the season begins.
Browns Could Prioritize T Over WR In First Round
The draft needs in Cleveland are fairly obvious, and though they can’t address all of them in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, they can address two. Early reports seem to indicate that wide receiver and offensive tackle are the biggest priorities for the Browns heading into the draft, but which position will they address with their sixth overall pick, and which will have to wait for pick No. 24?
Now, Cleveland didn’t lose anybody from its 2025 receiving corps, but the group from last year underperformed to a point that it can be considered a position of need. Additionally, there are only two players in the room not playing on contract years in 2026, and those players are only under contract for one more year than their corpsman. If the Browns are going to begin rebuilding the room around a new, young pair of hands, now would be an ideal time.
The situation on the offensive line is almost the opposite. With all five starters hitting the free agent market this offseason, Cleveland has been working to rebuild its line after the teardown. The team utilized free agency to bring in guard Zion Johnson and center Elgton Jenkins and traded for former Texans tackle Tytus Howard. It seems the door is open for guard Joel Bitonio to return, if he decides not to retire, but if he does, the Browns re-signed Teven Jenkins, who has plenty of starting experience at guard. The other tackle spot is currently being manned by Dawand Jones, the former fourth-round pick who’s started 20 games in his first three seasons.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, there’s belief that a vast need for quality linemen and a large number of talented prospects could lead to a run on offensive tackles in the first round. At the same time, it’s believed that only two wide receivers could end up going in the top half of the draft, with the eventual WR3 projected to go anywhere from pick Nos. 16-19. Because of this, it would make much more sense for the Browns to address their offensive tackle need than their receiver need.
Locking down the draft’s top receiver — likely Ohio State’s Carnell Tate — would certainly be a great addition to the offense, but it would mean missing out on most of the class’s top tackle prospects if a run takes place. Locking down a top available tackle would mean missing out on Tate, and perhaps Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and USC’s Makai Lemon, but there are several impact options that make perfect sense in the late-first or early-second round. It could be the difference of having Tate and choosing between Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor, Northwestern’s Caleb Tiernan, or Memphis’ Travis Burke or having one of Utah’s Spencer Fano, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, or Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor then getting your pick of Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., Washington’s Denzel Boston, Alabama’s Germie Bernard, and Louisville’s Chris Bell.
An interesting additional factor to this situation is the reporting that the Browns have been shopping out their current draft slots in the hope of bringing in more Day 2 draft capital; they seemingly are willing to move down from either the sixth or 24th picks, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. That could explain the depth at which Cleveland has been researching top offensive tackle prospects, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports. The team hosted Utah’s other tackle, Caleb Lomu, two days ago, per Jackson McCurry of The Dawg Land podcast, and ESPN’s Jordan Reid was “shocked’ to hear that the Browns reportedly like Proctor at No. 6.
In theory, both could be trade down targets. Proctor has routinely found himself ranked behind the likes of Mauigoa and Fano throughout the draft process, and even more recently, Freeling and, in some cases, Clemson’s Blake Miller have snuck by him in the eyes of draft pundits, as well.
Perhaps, the Browns are not interested in selecting Proctor at No. 6 overall but, instead, interested in trading back to a place in the first round in which they may still be able to walk away with Proctor — or, if there’s a serious run at the position, Lomu — while adding some picks in the process. With the depth of wide receivers listed above, they could easily attempt to do the same at that position, if they feel their preferred option may be a reach at No. 24.
The Browns’ toss up in priorities between tackle and wide receiver alone make it impossible to predict who their top overall pick will be. Adding in the potential for a run or drought at either position or a Browns’ trade down from either spot makes even speculation a wild goose chase. It seems the Browns are making plans for a number of contingencies, but it looks like offensive tackle and wide receiver — whatever the order — remain the top priorities 12 days out.
QB Ty Simpson To Drop Out Of Round 1?
Aside from Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, there may not be a surefire first-round quarterback in this year’s draft class. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is widely considered the second-best signal-caller available, but he is a polarizing prospect who made a meager 15 starts in college. Opinions vary on how high Simpson will go in the draft.
[RELATED: Ty Simpson’s Prospect Profile]
The top half of the first round may be a possibility for the 6-foot-1, 211-pound Simpson. There is also a chance he will last until Day 2, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN hears. That would be especially unfortunate for Simpson, who will attend the draft expecting to hear his name called in Round 1. Nevertheless, there are enough scouts with second-round grades on Simpson to make dropping out of the first round a possibility, according to Fowler.
Meanwhile, one general manager told Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom that Simpson could even last into Round 3. On whether Simpson is a lock to go in the second round, the GM said to La Canfora: “A lock … I wouldn’t say a lock.”
It is unknown how many high-level decision makers have similar opinions, though it would be a major twist for Simpson to plummet out of the first two rounds. If enough teams would rather wait for what should be a deeper QB class in 2027, perhaps a free-fall will occur.
Owners of two first-rounders (Nos. 6 and 24) and in need of a long-term answer under center, the Browns are a popular pick for Simpson in mock drafts (via Grinding the Mocks). Cleveland has held a “30” visit with Simpson, but it does not consider him a first-round target, Zac Jackson of The Athletic relays. With no shortage of pressing needs (Jackson points to the offensive line and wide receiver), the Browns are expected to turn their attention elsewhere in the opening round. They are more likely to draft a passer in the middle rounds, per Jackson, which could set the stage for Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson or Dillon Gabriel to open 2026 as their starter.
A year after his own draft stock nosedived, Sanders is the early frontrunner to start for the Browns next season. Many predicted Sanders would go in the first round in 2025, but he fell all the way to the fifth (No. 144 overall). Five QBs, including Gabriel, exited the board before Sanders. Simpson will hope to avoid a similar fate this year.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren Visits Patriots, Browns, Cowboys, Falcons, Steelers
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs has long been considered the top player at his position in the 2026 draft class. Evaluators are split between Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren for the No. 2 spot, but both are considered potential first-round picks.
McNeil-Warren has been making the rounds with a number of teams who will be on the clock in the back half of the first-round. He has already visited the Patriots, Browns, Cowboys, and Falcons, with the Steelers on tap for Friday, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The first three of those teams could use an upgrade at their third safety spot right away with starters who are older and/or set to hit free agency in 2027.
The Patriots, who have the 31st pick, lost Jaylinn Hawkins in free agency and signed Kevin Byard to pair with 2025 fourth-rounder Craig Woodson. But Byard is 33 years old with a one-year deal, so McNeil-Warren could learn from the veteran as a rookie and succeed in him the long-term.
Browns starting safeties Ronnie Hickman and Grant Delpit are both in the last year of their deals, and the current roster lacks a high-level No. 3 who could step into a starting role if necessary. The competition jump from the Mid-American Conference to the NFL is steep, but McNeil-Warren could certainly contribute in a box role right away. Cleveland holds the 24th and 39th picks, either of which could be a landing spot for the Toledo standout.
The Cowboys, drafting at No. 20, retained Malik Hooker and added Jalen Thompson and PJ Locke this offseason. Thompson is the youngest at 28 years old, and Hooker and Locke are both on one-year deals. After a rough year for their pass defense, Dallas could use a short- and long-term upgrade at safety.
The Steelers and Falcons, however, seem to have more set safety situations. Pittsburgh has Jalen Ramsey signed through 2028 and DeShon Elliott through 2027 with Jaquan Brisker and Darnell Savage on one-year deals. They could stand to add some youth to their safety room, but allocating the No. 20 overall pick to the position this year only makes sense if they have a very high grade on McNeil-Warren.
Atlanta has an even better starting duo in Jessie Bates and Xavier Watts with 2025 fourth-rounder Billy Bowman and former Eagle Sydney Brown as depth. Bates is 29 years old and entering the final year of his contract, but he has expressed a desire to retire a Falcon. Bowman was also a full-time player before his Achilles injury, and he should be back on the field close to the start of the regular season. The Falcons do not have a first-round pick, but McNeil-Warren could be a value play in the second round, where Atlanta has the No. 48 pick.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Receives Medical Clearance; Shedeur Sanders Likely Favorite To Start
A year ago, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam admitted that acquiring quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Texans in 2022 was a “big swing and miss” for his franchise. Despite on- and off-field issues, the Browns have not been able to escape Watson’s onerous contract. With Watson guaranteed to return for a fifth Cleveland season in 2026, Haslam is leaving the door open for him to reclaim his former role as its starting signal-caller.
Watson has not taken the field since he ruptured his Achilles in Week 7 of the 2024 season. The three-time Pro Bowler re-ruptured it during the recovery process, keeping him out all of last year. Watson has since received medical clearance, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. He is now present at voluntary workouts under new head coach Todd Monken, who has been impressed with his quarterbacks so far (as Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes, the Browns are allowed to teach their playbook during workouts).
“You couldn’t ask for a better start for the quarterbacks (on Monday). I was fired up,” Monken said.
Along with Watson, the Browns have Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel as in-house options under center. The Browns used a 2025 third-round pick on Gabriel, who got the first crack at starting after they traded Joe Flacco to the Bengals in early October. The left-handed Gabriel struggled mightily before suffering a concussion in Week 11. Sanders, a fifth-rounder last year, took over after Gabriel’s injury and held the job for the rest of the season.
Although he received a Pro Bowl invitation as an alternate, Sanders did not offer strong production as a rookie. The former Colorado star connected on 56.5% of passes, averaged 6.6 yards per attempt, and threw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (seven). He posted an ugly 68.1 passer rating and an even worse 18.9 QBR in the process.
Barring an outside acquisition (perhaps via the draft), Watson, Sanders and Gabriel are poised to compete for the Browns’ QB1 gig in the coming months. Watson is the most established of the three, but Zac Jackson of The Athletic contends that Sanders is the favorite to win the job. With the Browns in a rebuild, it would make sense to give the 24-year-old an opportunity to sink or swim. The team would then have a better idea of whether to draft a QB in what should be a deeper class next year.
Unless Watson overtakes Sanders and puts together a renaissance season in 2026, it will likely be the 30-year-old’s swan song in Cleveland. Watson is entering the final season of a fully guaranteed pact that has been a nightmare for the Browns. At the cost of $230MM and a handful of draft picks, including three first-rounders, Watson has given the Browns lackluster play over just 19 starts.
Browns Meet With WR KC Concepcion, TE Kenyon Sadiq
The Browns are clearly lacking receiving weapons as the 2026 NFL Draft nears. Armed with two first-round picks, they could snag at least one pass catcher with a high selection. The team hosted a pair of likely first-rounders in Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq on Wednesday, per reports from Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Cleveland is light at wideout, especially after Jerry Jeudy‘s production plummeted last season. Jeudy went from 90 catches and 1,229 yards in 2024 to 50 and 602 in those categories in 2025. No other returning Browns receiver even reached the 25-catch mark, and they have not added anyone of note to the group this offseason. That explains their interest in Concepcion and several other draft-bound receivers. Concepcion may be more realistic for the Browns’ second first-rounder (No. 24) than their top selection (No. 6).
The Browns are not expected to re-sign longtime starting tight end David Njoku, who remains a free agent, after finding a replacement last year. A third-round rookie in 2025, Harold Fannin was a rare bright spot in Cleveland’s offense. The 6-foot-4, 241-pounder led the Browns in catches (72), yards (731) and receiving touchdowns (six). Fannin’s presence suggests the Browns do not need to make a major investment in a tight end. However, as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator from 2023-25, new Browns head coach Todd Monken made use of the Mark Andrews–Isaiah Likely pass-catching duo.
Monken and the Browns will at least consider pairing Sadiq with Fannin, though it is unclear if they are interested in using a top-10 pick on the position. Sadiq may not be there at 24, yet six could be too rich in this case. Only three tight ends (including Kellen Winslow II to the Browns in 2004) have come off the board at No. 6 or higher since 2000.
Regardless of whether the Browns take him, Sadiq looks like a shoo-in first-rounder after a second-team All-America season and a spectacular performance at the Combine. He has a notable Cleveland connection in quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who played with Sadiq at Oregon in 2024. That may not matter, though, considering Gabriel is not expected to start for the Browns in 2026.
R Mason Thomas Sets Up Several Visits
After earning first-team All-SEC honors in 2025, Oklahoma edge defender R Mason Thomas may have a chance to come off the board late in the first round of this year’s draft. Several teams are showing interest in the 6-foot-2, 241-pounder. In addition to the previously reported Browns, Thomas has lined up visits with the Dolphins, Seahawks, Buccaneers and Patriots, per Arye Pulli of SI.com.
Thomas had a quiet first two seasons at Oklahoma, where he combined for 1.5 sacks in 19 games from 2022-23. His production increased dramatically during his junior season, in which he totaled 12.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks and two forced fumbles in 13 contests. Thomas added another two FFs last year, though his TFLs (9.5) and sacks (6.5) understandably dipped during a 10-game season.
Thomas missed three games after suffering a quad injury on a 71-yard fumble return touchdown in a win over Tennessee on Nov. 1. He returned to make three tackles in a 34-24 loss to Alabama in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
With his Sooners tenure in the rearview mirror, there are questions on how high Thomas will go in the draft. Anywhere after the second round would come as a surprise. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranks Thomas as this year’s 49th-best prospect, calling him “an instinctive and physical edge defender” while dinging him for a lack of “ideal height/length/bulk.” Jeremiah expects Thomas to turn into a solid starter, which is something most of the teams eyeing him could use.
The Browns have the best edge defender in the NFL, Myles Garrett, but could make an addition there after backing out of an agreement with A.J. Epenesa. Having released their 2025 leader in sacks, Bradley Chubb, the Dolphins are lacking high-upside complements to Chop Robinson. The reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks lost Boye Mafe to the Bengals in free agency. The Buccaneers are thin on the edge beyond YaYa Diaby and Al-Quadin Muhammad. Meanwhile, after winning the AFC, the Patriots essentially swapped K’Lavon Chaisson for Dre’Mont Jones in free agency. With both Jones and Harold Landry nearing the age of 30, making a notable investment in a younger pass rusher via the draft could be in store. Thomas, who will turn 22 in August, may end up as the Patriots’ answer.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/6/26
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: TE Brenden Bates, WR Malachi Corley, LB Winston Reid, LS Rex Sunahara, K Andre Szmyt, WR Jamari Thrash
Las Vegas Raiders
- Re-signed: C Will Putnam
New York Giants
- Waived: WR Da’Quan Felton, S Patrick McMorris, CB TJ Moore, CB Myles Purchase
A handful of exclusive rights free agents re-upped with their respective teams today, as the Browns and Raiders transactions exclusively featured these types of contracts.
Meanwhile, the Giants cleared some room off their offseason roster today. Patrick McMorris is the only player with any NFL experience, as the safety got into six games with the Dolphins in 2024, with 97 of his 105 snaps coming on special teams.
Browns Sign DB Myles Bryant
The Browns have added a veteran piece to their secondary. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports that Cleveland has agreed to a deal with defensive back Myles Bryant.
The 2020 undrafted free agent out of Washington spent the first four seasons of his career in New England. His role progressively got bigger during his time with the Patriots, culminating in a 2023 campaign where he started nine of his 17 appearances. He finished that season with 77 tackles, seven passes defended, an interception, and a pair of forced fumbles. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus ranked him 54th among 127 qualifying cornerbacks.
He left for the Texans in 2024 but mostly played special teams during his first season in Houston. He saw a more significant role this past season, starting three of his 11 appearances. He finished the year with 40 stops while getting into 343 defensive snaps.
Bryant has shown an ability to play multiple roles in the secondary. Just this past season, he spent time as a free safety, slot cornerback, wide cornerback, and in the box. That should afford him a role on any team, although he may still have to fight for reps in Cleveland.
The Browns will return their same secondary as 2024, including their cornerbacks (Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell, Myles Harden) and safeties (Ronnie Hickman, Grant Delpit). The team has also already acquired some depth in safety Daniel Thomas, who was added via free agency. At CB, Bryant will be competing with the likes of Dom Jones, D’Angelo Ross, and Tre Avery for reps, while Thomas and Donovan McMillon represent the acquisition’s main competition at safety.
Browns’ New-Look OL Taking Shape
The Browns fielded one of the league’s oldest offensive lines last season, but the unit will look very different in 2026. How different remains to be seen – the starting five has started to take shape but is far from finalized.
General manager Andrew Berry said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) that the left tackle spot is currently occupied by 2023 fourth-rounder Dawand Jones. The 24-year-old has lined up at both tackle positions during his time in Cleveland with 20 total starts. He opened the 2025 season as the starting left tackle but was benched in Week 3.
The Browns’ draft plans could push Jones out of the picture. They are expected to pursue an offensive tackle with one of their two first-round picks, but several top prospects lined up on the right side in college. Cleveland may prefer keeping a rookie at their natural position and flipping Tytus Howard from right to left tackle.
The Browns have multiple options on the interior after signing Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson in free agency. Both have spent the most time at left guard, but Jenkins can play center, too. Teven Jenkins would then play right guard.
Again, Cleveland’s draft haul could factor in here. Adding a pure center could bump Elgton Jenkins to either guard spot with Johnson taking up the other. Berry also said that the door is still open for Joel Bitonio, who is contemplating retirement after 12 years as Cleveland’s starting left guard. If he returned, he would retain that job, keeping Jenkins at center and moving Johnson to right guard, where he lined up as a rookie.
The Browns have prioritized versatility in their offensive line room. They have multiple starting options at every position except center, and they will likely add at least one more player to the mix in the draft. Then, it will be up to new head coach Todd Monken to identify the best five-man combination by Week 1.