Three Cleveland Browns Players Entering a Make-or-Break Offseason

The Cleveland Browns face a critical 2026 offseason.

The front office has hired a new head coach, Todd Monken, added coordinators and position coaches to support him and plans to be active in the upcoming NFL Draft and free agency. The team is looking to respond in 2026 following an 8-26 record over the last two campaigns.

Amid this pressure, three players are entering pivotal periods in their careers, windows of time that could determine their future with the Browns.

1. Martin Emerson Jr. - Cornerback

It's been four full seasons since the Browns decided to take Emerson Jr. in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, he matches up really well with most of the targets he's put on guarding. He's also athletic and fast, which, at that size, makes him an annoyance for opposing teams. In 2023, he broke out, recording 59 tackles, 14 pass deflections and four interceptions. While he had a slight drop off in 2024, he was set to continue producing at a high level in 2025.

Unfortunately, he suffered a torn Achilles in training camp, ruling him out the entire season.

Now, Emerson Jr. will be fighting for a roster spot next to Denzel Ward, recently acquired Tyson Campbell and anyone else the coaching staff deems fit for a starting spot. That is, of course, if the team decides to resign him.

It would be surprising to see him draw eyes anywhere else because he hasn't played football in over a year. Cleveland would likely offer him another one-year deal to provide depth to the defense, while also giving him a prove-it season.

2. Dylan Sampson - Running Back

Sampson wasn't given much time to truly get his legs underneath him once the regular season rolled in. Following an okay performance throughout the preseason, it seemed that the Browns would have to use him as the lead back due to Quinshon Judkins' legal troubles at the time. However, he eventually returned to the field and Sampson was thrown out of the mix for regular snaps.

But as fate would have it, Judkins suffered a brutal leg injury and Sampson once again had to be called upon. He looked okay, but nothing like what Judkins brought to the table. He finished the year with 65 carries for 175 yards and 33 catches for 271 yards. He scored just two touchdowns by the end of the season.

As Judkins looks to recover from injury, there's a chance that he's behind the curve slightly and, at least early in the season, won't be back up to full speed. This is where Sampson can start to adapt to the professional game and really fight to split time with Judkins.

3. Shedeur Sanders - Quarterback

Sanders is an obvious selection as one of the players who need to continue to grow this offseason. The reason for it being a make-or-break type situation, though, is that there's a very real chance that he has to compete for the starting job against veteran Deshaun Watson.

Watson, who was involved in one of the biggest and most controversial trades in NFL history, is coming off back-to-back Achilles injuries that held him out for most of the 2024 and all of the 2025 campaign. While it seemed to many that his ship had sailed, general manager Andrew Berry recently was questioned about Watson's future, and gave a pretty broad answer, implying he will be given a chance to show his worth.

“Look, I can never predict the future, but right now we do anticipate him [Deshaun Watson] being on the 2026 team," Berry said back in January. "But we have a long way to go before we get to that point with any player.”

Sanders will have to show growth in leadership, a command of the locker room and most importantly of all, improvements in his on-the-field abilities. This offseason will determine a lot about his future in the orange and brown.

Sanders, Sampson and Emerson Jr. will all be given tools to succeed; it'll come down to if they rise to the occasion and realize the state of their current window in Cleveland.

Each of these players will have a chance to dive headfirst into offseason training over the next few months, before coordinated team workouts and camps begin following the 2026 NFL Draft.