Will Jerry Jeudy be a member of the Cleveland Browns in 2026?

Jerry Jeudy is the No. 1 receiver on the Cleveland Browns in 2025. He has 519 receiving yards with three games remaining.

That is not acceptable for a team's top receiver, but any Browns fan knows there is more to the story in terms of the overall offensive performance all year. Playing with two rookie quarterbacks hasn't helped his case either.

Nonetheless, Jeudy is an easy target for fans when letting out frustration over the entire 2025 season. This may have some fans wondering if Jeudy will be back in 2026.

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As Browns fans have grown used to hearing, this all comes down to money. Per Over the Cap, Jeudy has a $10.3 million cap hit in 2026. Cutting him before June 1 would result in a dead-cap charge over $28 million, while the figure drops to roughly $12 million after June 1. The only real feasible option is a post-June 1 trade.

The NFL salary cap allows for flexibility in terms of moving money around, as the ceiling seems to rise every year thanks to constantly expanding revenue for the league. So yes, the Browns likely could take on the dead cap charges and move on. This leaves another question: Should the Browns keep Jeudy in 2026?

That is a more complex question, but one that may have a simple answer of "yes."

The Browns are thin at basically every single position on offense. So much so, it may be wise to keep Jeudy around just for that veteran presence. He has also shown flashes of success throughout his career and was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2024.

It seems likely the Browns will go after another rookie quarterback in 2026, even with all the holes to fill on offense. If so, that quarterback needs to come in and have competent receivers to work with. Some fans may claim Jeudy's drops are a problem, along with his attitude, but the overall talent is still evident. He is also still only 26 years old.

The Browns are not in an ideal situation. Jeudy's future may even not be a top-of-mind problem for an organization that could see a total overhaul in just a few weeks. But this is a roster that needs to hold onto any and all talent, Jeudy included.

Hopefully, the Browns can begin to rebuild the receiver corps through the draft in 2026. Those fresh faces will still need to learn from someone, and whoever lines up under center cannot rely on only rookies to throw to.

This means Jeudy may be back by default, in what is shaping up to be another tough season in 2026 for the Browns.