Cleveland Browns Biggest Remaining Needs After the Draft

By most experts, the Cleveland Browns aced the 2026 NFL Draft.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry helped new head coach Todd Monken by using the team’s first three selections on left tackle Spencer Fano and wide receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. The Browns added another projected first-round pick in Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren during Day 2, also.

The Browns are aiming for a quick turnaround, so Monken can win games during his first year as a head coach in the NFL while developing young talent.

But here’s what the Browns are still missing after an impressive draft.

Quarterback

A recent report from cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot indicated that Deshaun Watson has the early inside edge against Shedeur Sanders to be Cleveland’s starting quarterback.

Watson hasn’t been a good quarterback since 2019 and hasn’t been healthy enough to complete a season since the league expanded its schedule from 16 to 17 games.

Even though Sanders showed flashes as a rookie in his seven starts, it’s telling that the Browns are contemplating starting a wildly unpopular figure in Watson over him. The polarizing fifth-round quarterback threw 10 interceptions compared to seven touchdowns and was sacked over 20 times. The Browns also reportedly had some interest in Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who was off the board at No. 13 overall, before the Browns had an opportunity to consider him with No. 24 overall.

Watson is in the final year of his $230 million fully guaranteed deal and is set to make his final $46 million from the Browns this year. Even though Berry said there’s no rule against extending Watson again, it would be much cleaner for the Browns to turn the page on their quarterback room in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Cornerback

New defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg is going to have a tall task. Under Jim Schwartz, the Browns were dominant defensively. Schwartz’s defense allowed the front line to get after the quarterback, making life easier on the players in the secondary.

Denzel Ward has been consistently awesome since the Browns drafted him in 2018. But the 29-year-old has battled injuries, and has never had an equally dominant running mate in Cleveland. Tyson Campbell was a bright spot in the other cornerback spot across from Ward, but he’ll need to maintain that production with Rutenberg.

The Browns don’t have a clear plan at nickelback and could use more depth in the secondary.

EDGE

Speaking of depth, that’s all the Browns need here.

They just extended Alex Wright during last year’s five-win debacle. Oh yeah, and Myles Garrett made football history by breaking the NFL’s single-season sack record. After another impressive draft, it's difficult to see a world where the team entertains trading Garrett.

But outside of Wright and Garrett, Cleveland’s rotational defensive ends are just average depth. If Rutenberg wants to copy some of Schwartz’s scheme, he’ll want to rotate those defensive tackles throughout the game, keeping fresh legs to get after the quarterback.

Tight end

Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. led the team in receiving yards during his rookie season out of Bowling Green. In 2026, the Browns drafted two more tight ends, Cincinnati’s Joe Royer in Round 5 and BYU’s Carsen Ryan in Round 7.

So, how could it be a position of need?

Fannin’s athletic pass catching ability is what the Browns should lean into, like they did last year, as veteran tight end David Njoku handled the in-line blocking. Royer isn’t an elite in-line blocker, and Ryan was Cleveland’s final draft pick, who will battle in training camp for a roster spot.

The Browns did a nice job rebuilding their offensive line in one offseason. But adding an elite blocking tight end to support the run game would allow Fannin to flourish as a pass catcher.

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