Andrew Berry Reveals Cleveland Browns Plans for Free Agency

During his annual media availability at the NFL Combine, Andrew Berry detailed how the Cleveland Browns will approach free agency in March.

Feb 3, 2026; Berea, OH, USA; Executive vice president, football operations and general manager Andrew Berry speaks to the media during a press conference to introduce new head coach Todd Monken at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns will have just about two weeks to prepare for free agency.

At the NFL Combine on Tuesday afternoon, Browns general manager Andrew Berry shed some light on what to expect from the team before the NFL Draft in April.

On March 9 at 2:00 p.m., all NFL teams will be allowed to begin negotiating with free agents. On March 11, those free agents will be allowed to formally sign contracts with their new teams.

Berry assessed the Browns cap space position as “good” heading into the new league year. He refused to comment on the expected contract restructure of quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is still cashing in on his $230 million fully guaranteed contract.

However, Berry professed that the Browns will be active in March.

What Andrew Berry said about Browns free agency plans

“I would anticipate that there’s at least the chance that we’ll be more aggressive,” Berry said. “I’ll say this. More aggressive than last year.”

Berry categorized his approach for the upcoming free agency period as “targeted and opportunistic,” even though the Browns might not have the same financial luxuries to throw big contracts around like other teams around the NFL.

“Realistically, we might be one more offseason away from being hyper-aggressive in that window,” Berry said. “But if there’s something that fits us, fits our roster and our timeline, then it’s certainly a swing we’ll take.”

This offseason, the Browns will focus on fixing the offensive side of their roster. Berry was peppered with questions about fixing the team’s offensive line. All of Cleveland’s starting offensive line is expected to hit free agency, and the wide receiver room needs a little bit of help as well.

“Thinking about the offensive line, I think what Chicago and Ryan Poles did last year is a really good model,” Berry said about how the Bears were able to rebuild their line. “They did a combination of internal development, veteran additions and draft.”

With ongoing uncertainty surrounding the team’s starting quarterback, Berry noted that selecting versatile offensive linemen across the entire unit could help the team improve. If the player market lines up, expect the Browns to explore a healthy mixture of youth and experience on their offensive line.

Of course, the needs for the Browns offensively don’t end in the trenches. Berry did not commit to Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel as the team’s starting quarterback next season. Depending on the price for free agent quarterback Malik Willis, the Browns will have interest. They’ll also be interested in trying to plug holes where it makes sense to at wide receiver.

The Browns having the ability to be more aggressive in free agency will give Berry plenty of flexibility to continue rebuilding the offense in the NFL Draft.

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