Newest Updates To Browns’ Defensive Coaching Staff
Though former Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz departed from Cleveland when he was not promoted to the head coaching role, the team’s defensive coaching staff will retain several familiar faces. The Browns will also add a storied name to their staff as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Dom Capers has been hired in Cleveland as a senior defensive assistant. 
Joining the defensive staff of a rookie defensive coordinator, Capers offers a wealth of coordinator experience. He first served as an NFL defensive coordinator with the Steelers from 1992-94. After only three years, Capers landed a head coaching job with the Panthers. Following his tenure in Carolina, a similar pattern played out with Capers assuming a coordinator position in Jacksonville for two years before landing his second head coaching opportunity with the Texans. In the wake of his departure from Houston, Capers landed in Miami as defensive coordinator for a couple years before enjoying a nine-year tenure in that role with the Packers.
Capers last served as a defensive coordinator in 2017. In the years since, he has offered his services as a senior defensive assistant to several franchises. Starting in 2019, Capers worked one-year roles with the Jaguars, Vikings, Lions, and Broncos before spending the last three years with the Panthers. He’ll now continue his NFL tour, making the Browns the 12th NFL franchise to employ his services.
Following the hiring of former Falcons defensive pass game coordinator Mike Rutenberg as defensive coordinator, the Browns have surprisingly been able to hold onto several assistants who had been candidates for the coordinator job granted to Rutenberg with the help of a few promotions. Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, one such assistant was safeties coach Ephraim Banda who has had the moniker of defensive passing game coordinator added to his title. In addition to Cleveland’s open job, Banda interviewed this offseason for coordinator opportunities in Dallas and New England, as well. With interest in Banda as a coordinator increasing in recent years, the Browns saw fit to reward him with a new title.
Another assistant who had been a candidate for the Browns’ coordinator job, linebackers coach Jason Tarver has similarly had the moniker of run game coordinator added to his title for 2026, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Unlike Banda, Tarver’s only path to a coordinator position this offseason was via promotion, though he was a rumored candidate in the Raiders’ fast-moving process.
Joining in on the fun, cornerbacks coach Brandon Lynch has also been given a promotion to remain in Cleveland. Per Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS, Lynch has been named defensive backs coach/pass game specialist for the 2026 season. Lynch interviewed for the defensive coordinator position in Tennessee two years ago and is widely seen as a future DC in the league. He’ll remain in Cleveland for now, though, working with Banda on the Browns’ secondary and defensive pass game.
With Lynch coming off cornerbacks, specifically, defensive quality control coach Jeff Anderson has also been granted a promotion to nickels coach, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Cleveland blocked Anderson from interviewing with the Titans for a similar job, as they intended to promote him themselves.
The last change to the defensive staff in Cleveland comes in the form of a departure. Adam Morris, who served as the Browns assistant defensive line coach in 2025, has departed to take on the edge coach/defensive run game coordinator position at Vanderbilt, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.
Browns Want To Re-Sign Devin Bush, Cory Bojorquez, Teven Jenkins
The Browns are prioritizing re-signing their own players rather than pursuing available free agents this offseason.
General manager Andrew Berry said at the Combine (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson) that the team is “probably one offseason away from being hyper aggressive” in free agency. Instead, they will look to retain linebacker Devin Bush, punter Corey Bojorquez, and guard Teven Jenkins, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
Bush is a “high priority” for a multi-year deal after two strong years in Cleveland. He replaced Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in 2024 after season-ending injury and started every game last year with the Pro Bowler still on the shelf. Koramoah is not expected to play again – certainly not anytime soon – so Bush would be inline to start alongside Carson Schweisinger in 2026. He ranked second on the team behind the rookie with 125 tackles and led the NFL with 164 interception return yards and two pick-sixes. However, strong classes of free agents and draft prospects at the linebacker position could deflate Bush’s value on the open market and encourage him to re-sign with the Browns.
Bojorquez has spent the last four seasons in Cleveland, and the Browns’ anemic offense in 2024 and 2025 made him the busiest punter in the league. The 29-year-old led the NFL in total punts and punt yardage in each of the last two seasons, though his per-punt averages significantly decreased last year. Bojorquez will likely be looking for a decent raise over his previous $2MM AAV in a punter market that has risen above $4MM per year.
Jenkins, 28, only started four games in 2025, primarily at right guard. But with the Browns’ entire starting offensive line hitting free agency, Cleveland will want to maintain some continuity up front. But all five of those players are at least 30 years old, while Jenkins is 28 and could come at a discount given his injury history. The former Bears’ second-round pick has received solid grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in his career and could be penciled in as a Week 1 starter, likely at right guard.
The Browns are expected to consider re-signing center Ethan Pocic and cornerback Martin Emerson, who are both recovering from torn Achilles. The situation with Emerson is “unsettled,” per Jackson, and both players could face tough markets due to their injuries.
New head coach Todd Monken also wants to retain left guard Joel Bitonio, according to Cabot, but the 34-year-old is considering retirement before exploring a new contract with the Browns or another team. He has spent all of his 12-year career in Cleveland and has remained a durable, reliable blocker well into his 30s.
Browns, Titans Interested In WR Wan’Dale Robinson?
If the Colts are to reach an agreement with Alec Pierce to keep him off the market, other free agent wide receivers can adjust their asking prices. Wan’Dale Robinson would be among those who would benefit, even if the undersized Giants contributor’s skillset differs from Pierce’s.
Robinson could end up in a familiar offense. The Titans are believed to be interested in the former second-round pick, Essentiallysports.com’s Tony Pauline notes. Robinson spent four seasons in Brian Daboll‘s offense; despite extensive Eagles interest, Daboll became the Titans’ OC last month. Additionally, Pauline indicates the Browns are an interested party for Robinson.
Tennessee came up recently as a team set to pursue wideouts in free agency. The Titans held the NFL cap-space lead before cutting Lloyd Cushenberry and Xavier Woods. They are projected to hold more than $97MM, per OverTheCap. Tennessee is expected to add more than $13MM to that total, as a Calvin Ridley cut is expected. It is worth wondering if the Titans will try to trade the Ran Carthon signee, but he has underwhelmed on a $23MM-per-year deal and is now 31 and coming off a seven-game 2025.
The Browns saw Jerry Jeudy‘s production nosedive last season. After a 1,229-yard 2024 slate, the former Broncos first-rounder tallied 602 yards and committed some costly drops. While Jeudy has never enjoyed a plus quarterback situation, he did not perform like an upper-crust receiver last season. The Browns have Jeudy signed through 2028, with option bonuses making a separation rather difficult this year.
Cleveland, which is expected to let David Njoku walk, is thin beyond Jeudy at receiver. No other Cleveland wideout cleared 350 yards last season, with rookie UDFA Isaiah Bond second among Browns receivers in yardage (338). The Browns hold a projected $3MM-plus in cap space, but they will (again) restructure Deshaun Watson‘s contract to create another chunk.
Robinson is coming off a 1,014-yard season, though his height (5-foot-8) will likely be an issue for some teams. Still, he will command a hefty salary as a first-time free agent. He joins Pierce, Jauan Jennings, Romeo Doubs, Deebo Samuel and Rashid Shaheed as the top receivers on a market that will not include George Pickens — set for a Cowboys franchise tag.
The 2022 second-round pick is also a Kentucky alum from the state, potentially making a Tennessee trek appealing. The Giants are not expected to merely let Robinson walk, with a recent report going as far to indicate they are “likely” to retain him. But New York changed coaching staffs and has Darius Slayton tied to a three-year, $36MM deal (with guarantees for 2026) alongside Malik Nabers‘ rookie deal. The Giants are running out of time here, though. They exclusive negotiating rights with the talented slot receiver expire March 9, when the legal tampering period begins.
NFL Could Allow Teams To Trade Draft Picks Five Years In Advance
FEBRUARY 26: The Browns have made this proposal, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Cleveland, which previously proposed a measure to push the trade deadline back (which eventually passed), would need 24 votes in the ownership ranks for this to pass. Depending how owners proceed, more trade opportunities could emerge beginning this offseason.
FEBRUARY 10: As things currently stand, NFL teams are permitted to trade draft picks no further than three years into the future. That could soon change. 
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (video link), ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported there will be a push from at least one team to extend the range for draft picks being dealt. Efforts will be made for selections as many as five years down the road to be allowed in trades, per Schefter. This will be something to monitor during next month’s league meetings.
Any expansion of trade flexibility would represent a shift in the direction of the NBA. That league’s rules allow for picks up to seven years in the future to be dealt. It should be kept in mind, though, that the Stepien Rule applies limits to how often teams can trade away a first-round pick. As a result of the rule, NBA teams cannot trade future first-round selections in consecutive years.
No such rule currently exists in the NFL. If things were to change this spring, however, a similar provision may receive consideration. Any widening of the range for draft capital to be traded – and its associated conditions – could of course lead to a change in roster-building strategy. Largely speaking, teams around the NFL attempt to remain competitive from one year to the next (due in large part to the requirement they spend close to the salary cap over any three-year period).
That approach could be altered to an extent if collecting large amounts of draft capital over an extended period became a viable option for rebuilding franchises. On the other hand, it would be interesting to see if contending teams became increasingly willing to part with picks in the distant future to facilitate win-now moves on a more frequent basis. Recent years have seen an uptick in trades leading up to the deadline, while blockbuster swaps in the offseason will no doubt remain possible in any given year no matter the circumstances.
The most recent case which saw an NFL team trade picks three years into the future was the Browns-Texans Deshaun Watson deal. Cleveland sent Houston a package highlighted by first-round selections in three consecutive years. The team would have been able to spread those picks out over a longer period (provided the Texans had been amenable to it, of course) had the range for pick trades been longer. When rule changes are considered during the spring, the potential for things to change on this front will be something to watch closely.
Browns To Conduct Open QB Competition; Outside Options In Play
The Deshaun Watson contract is in its final year. Because of the numerous restructures the Browns have made on the disastrous fully guaranteed deal, it is widely expected to remain on Cleveland’s payroll in 2026. Because of the void years-driven restructures, Cleveland is positioned to carry considerable dead money from the deal in 2027.
Jimmy Haslam admitted the 2022 trade/extension sequence was a mistake, but because of how costly it would be for the Browns to release Watson this year, he remains on the roster. This is the closest thing the NFL has seen to a bloated MLB-like contract clogging a team’s payroll, and other teams will use the deal as evidence they do not need to authorize fully guaranteed long-term accords. But Watson may not be done as a Browns player yet.
Todd Monken confirmed the embattled QB will be part of an open competition for the 2026 job. While Shedeur Sanders finished the 2025 campaign as Cleveland’s starter, Monken did not commit to him in his first year on the job.
“I don’t know why it wouldn’t be an open competition,” Monken said (via Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano) at the Combine. “And I don’t mean that harshly, but I don’t think there’s enough on film over the last couple of years one way or the other to say, ‘Boy, we have a starter at quarterback’ yet.
“… I think any time that you have a player that, at one time, has exhibited the skillset at an elite level, I think you’re always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get that out of him again.”
Watson’s woeful performance has called many to label the Browns’ 2022 trade, when factoring in the contract component, as the worst in NFL history. While the Broncos managed to escape their Russell Wilson albatross contract and reach back-to-back playoff brackets despite the record-setting dead money number, the Browns cannot do the same with Watson. If they cut the nine-year veteran this offseason, it would bring $131.16MM in dead money. Even spread over two years, that is untenable. So, the Browns essentially have no choice but to see if the former Texans Pro Bowler can make an impact in an age-31 season.
Watson’s 33.1 cumulative QBR since the 2022 season ranks as the worst among qualified options in this span, per ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi. He is tied to an $80.72MM cap number. The Browns will once again, per Oyefusi, restructure the deal. That will mean a lower 2026 cap number but more dead money once Watson is off the roster in 2027.
This contract undoubtedly influenced the Browns’ coaching search, with a few names — Jesse Minter, Mike McDaniel and Grant Udinski — dropping out of the running. Monken’s job will be tougher for two years as a result, but for now, the new Cleveland HC will at least include the 30-year-old QB in a competition along with Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
It would be a surprise if Watson won the job, though the Browns do not have a good avenue to an upgrade. Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to go first overall to the Raiders, and this draft class features a gulf between Mendoza and the field at QB. GM Andrew Berry said the Browns would look for an outside starter, rather than limiting the competition to a Sanders-Gabriel-Watson derby, but said it is “to be determined” when asked if the Browns have a realistic path to adding a viable veteran.
The Browns, who have been linked to Malik Willis and Alabama’s Ty Simpson thus far this offseason, are projected to hold barely $3MM in cap space. They also do not have any of their 2025 O-line starters under contract. The team chose Gabriel two rounds before trading up for Sanders, calling many to wonder how invested Berry and then-HC Kevin Stefanski were in the two-year Colorado starter. Gabriel will not be ruled out of the competition.
“He may be forgotten externally, but he’s not forgotten to us,” Berry said, via Oyefusi. “Look, Dillon, he’s working. He’s going to handle everything that’s within his control, and we love all of our players and our home roster. Dillon’s a guy that has a bright future in this league.”
Sanders usurping Gabriel last season may precede the Browns adding a starter-level option in free agency or via trade or selecting a developmental option in the draft. Gabriel should be considered a trade candidate, per The Athletic’s Zac Jackson, who expects the Browns to deal the diminutive quarterback this offseason.
The Browns traded two QBs (Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco) after having both in camp last year, but they may not have room for both Sanders and Gabriel on the roster — with Watson’s contract keeping him in place — if another QB is added this spring.
Further exposing Pro Bowl accolades as a modern measure of success, Sanders received an invite after throwing 7 TD passes and 10 INTs in eight games (seven starts). Sanders completed just 56.6% of his passes, though he went 3-4 as a starter. Gabriel played in front of Sanders throughout training camp and received the first crack following the Flacco trade. He finished with a 7-2 TD-INT ratio and completed 59.5% of his throws (Sanders, though, fared better in yards per attempt — 6.6 to 5.1 — than his rookie teammate).
Watson, who suffered two Achilles tears since October 2024, did return to practice late last season but was never activated. He will be expected to participate in the Browns’ offseason program, where Monken and Co. will evaluate the latest Cleveland QB competition.
Malik Willis, Ty Simpson Among QBs Being Evaluated By Browns
The Browns’ quarterback situation could go in a number of directions this offseason. The status quo would see Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson compete for the starting gig, but an outside addition will be explored. 
March will see the free agent and trade markets take shape, and Cleveland will do homework on the top options set to be available. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com specifically names Malik Willis as a passer on the Browns’ radar at this point. That makes Cleveland one of many potential suitors in his case.
Willis is widely seen as the top quarterback on track for free agency. A Packers departure is expected, as the open market is set to present him with a starting opportunity. Cleveland had already been named as a team to watch on the Willis front, with the same also being true of Pittsburgh and Miami. The Dolphins in particular have Willis connections in the form of new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head Jeff Hafley. The 26-year-old could also be pursued by the Cardinals, provided they move on from Kyler Murray.
As Cabot notes, any veteran addition made by the Browns this offseason will not be a short-term rental but rather a passer viewed as having starting potential beyond 2026. That could certainly be the case for Willis if his market reaches expected levels, despite the fact he has only made six starts in the regular season. Cleveland’s financial situation will once again be impacted by Watson’s heavy cap charge, so it would be difficult for the team to win a bidding war.
That leaves the draft as another route to landing a new QB. On that note, Cabot writes Ty Simpson is among the prospects receiving attention in the Browns’ case. The Alabama product is seen as the second-best passer in this year’s class, owing in large part to Dante Moore‘s decision to remain in school for 2026. Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza is on track to be drafted first overall by the Raiders, but Simpson’s landing spot is much more difficult to project at this point.
Having only made 15 starts in college, Simpson is viewed as having notable upside but will carry risk based on his short track record. The 23-year-old’s 2025 season also did not finish nearly as well as it began, something which could hinder his stock. Nevertheless, the Browns – who own two first-round selections along with one in each of the second and third rounds – will have ample opportunity to make another QB investment in April.
Patriots Interviewed Browns Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda For DC Job
The Patriots’ decision to promote linebackers coach Zak Kuhr to defensive coordinator came as no surprise.
Kuhr spent the 2025 season as New England’s defensive play-caller and de facto DC with Mike Vrabel‘s original hire, Terrell Williams, going through cancer treatments.
But the Patriots still had to comply with the NFL’s Rooney Rule requirement to interview at least two external minority candidates for any coordinator vacancy. One of those interviews was with Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The Patriots’ other minority DC candidate is not known.
Banda, 44, interviewed for DC jobs with the Browns, Cowboys, and Jets this offseason. He did not get any of them – nor, obviously, the gig in New England – but Cleveland added defensive passing game coordinator to his title.
Banda has overseen successful efforts by a number of Browns safeties during his tenure, including Ronnie Hickman, Grant Delpit, and Juan Thornhill. He previously served as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Utah State and Miami.
The Patriots also hired Southern Mississippi running backs coach B.J. Edmonds as an assistant on their defensive staff, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The former Arkansas State cornerback actually worked under Banda at Utah State in 2021 and 2022, though the two will not reunite in New England. Edmonds previously worked with the Patriots during training camp in 2025.
Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Unlikely To Play Again
Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah hasn’t taken the field since he suffered a severe neck injury in Week 8 of the 2024 season. Owusu-Koramoah spent all of last season on the reserve/PUP list. It is now “doubtful at best” that the 26-year-old will play again, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports.
As a former Notre Dame standout, Owusu-Koramoah earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors and the Butkus Award in 2020. That convinced the Browns to spend a second-round pick on Owusu-Koramoah the next spring. He went on to establish himself as a cornerstone defender for the Browns over three and a half seasons.
Owusu-Koramoah combined for 20 starts in 25 games in his first two years in Cleveland. He hit the 70-tackle mark in both seasons while totaling 10 TFL and four forced fumbles. Owusu-Koramoah took on a bigger role in 2023, a career year in which he piled up 101 tackles, 20 TFL, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions in 16 games (13 starts).
Owusu-Koramoah’s breakout showing in 2023 led to both a Pro Bowl alternate nod and a new contract. The Browns awarded him a three-year extension worth up to $39MM in August 2024. With 61 tackles, 10 TFL, three sacks and a pick, Owusu-Koramoah continued to deliver over his first eight games that season. Unfortunately, it appears that eight-game stretch will go down as his last.
Owusu-Koramoah remains under contract with the Browns through 2027. He’s owed a guaranteed $11.03MM next season.
Browns Could Pursue Packers LT Rasheed Walker In Free Agency
Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker is the top pending free agent at one of the game’s most valuable positions. Between his track record as a capable starter and his age (26), Walker is going to cash in sometime soon. As Walker nears a trip to the open market in March, Cleveland is a potential suitor to keep an eye on, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.
The Packers have until March 3 to place the projected $27.76MM franchise tag on Walker, whom they stole in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. It doesn’t look as if general manager Brian Gutekunst will go that route, though.
“I don’t feel like Gutey is motivated enough to tag Rasheed,” a league source told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
Gutekunst drafted Walker, but retaining him has appeared unlikely for at least a few months. The GM said last week that the Packers are prepared to give 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan a shot at left tackle. He’ll play next season for a much cheaper price than Walker, a starter since he took over for longtime Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari early in 2023.
Walker has racked up 48 starts in the past three years, including 15 last season. Pro Football Focus ranked Walker an underwhelming 52nd among 89 qualifying tackles in 2025. However, as PFR’s Adam La Rose noted in his Packers Offseason Outlook, starting left tackles don’t often reach free agency. When they do, they get paid. The demand outweighs the supply, which bodes well for Walker.
Flashing back to last March, former Steelers left tackle Dan Moore Jr. joined the Titans on a four-year, $82MM deal with $50MM in guarantees. Walker could fare similarly on his next contract. The cap is set to rise by over $20MM in 2026, putting Walker in an even stronger position than Moore was in that regard.
As for a potential Browns-Walker union, it makes sense on paper. Their offensive line was an injury-ravaged unit in 2025, and now it’s facing an overwhelming number of offseason departures. Pending free agent guard Wyatt Teller bid goodbye to Cleveland on Instagram earlier this week. Guard Joel Bitonio, also a pending free agent, is mulling retirement. Center Ethan Pocic and the tackle tandem of Cam Robinson and Jack Conklin are also without contracts for 2026.
Adding to the Browns’ issues up front, tackle Dawand Jones has suffered season-ending injuries in all three years of his career. Jones began 2025 as the Browns’ starter on the left side, but a Week 3 LCL tear and a hamstring avulsion forced him out for the rest of the year. He is under contract for another season, but if the Browns still see Jones as a starter, they could bring in Walker and use the former at right tackle. Jones has garnered more experience on the right side than the left during his injury-plagued career.
Wyatt Teller Expects To Leave Browns
With a trip to free agency looming, longtime Browns tight end David Njoku took to Instagram on Feb. 9 to say goodbye to Cleveland. Another Browns staple, pending free agent guard Wyatt Teller, did the same on Wednesday (via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network).
As part of a lengthy letter, Teller wrote: “I wish things were different and this is hard to put into words. When Buffalo traded me to Cleveland seven years ago, I never could have imagined how much this city would mean to me. Ultimately, the Browns took a chance on me that changed the trajectory of my life forever … While we are excited and look forward to what the future holds, Cleveland will always have a special place in our hearts.”
Teller joined the Bills as a fifth-round pick out of Virginia Tech in 2018, but they moved on despite seeing him start in seven of eight appearances as a rookie.
Shortly before the start of the 2019 season, the Bills traded Teller and a 2021 seventh-rounder to the Browns for a fifth- and sixth-rounder in 2020. It proved to be a great trade for then-Browns general manager John Dorsey, though he ended up losing his job after a 6-10 campaign.
A left guard in Buffalo, Teller turned into a stalwart on the right side in Cleveland. After coming off the bench in six of 15 games in 2019, he became a full-time starter the next year. The 31-year-old has since gone to three Pro Bowls and earned second-team All-Pro honors twice.
Teller logged his second 17-game season in 2023, but he followed that up with back-to-back years with stints on injured reserve. He missed four games with an MCL sprain in 2024 and then sat out four more with a calf injury last season. Pro Football Focus ranked the banged-up Teller a middling 39th among 79 qualifying guards in 2025, but his track record suggests he’ll land the second lucrative contract of his career soon.
Teller just wrapped up the four-year, $56.8MM extension he signed in 2021. As of last September, there was reportedly a decent chance of a new deal coming together with the Browns. Five months later, it appears the two will go in different directions.
It is obvious the Browns’ offensive line will look much different next season. Not only is Teller on his way out, but their other top guard, Joel Bitonio, is unsigned and considering retirement. Center Ethan Pocic, tackles Jack Conklin and Cam Robinson, and backup guard Teven Jenkins are also scheduled to reach the open market in March.