What the NFL Draft Told Us About Todd Monken's Real Plan for the Browns

After the Browns fired Kevin Stefanski a few months ago, general manager Andrew Berry promised to invest significant resources into fixing Cleveland’s offense in 2026.

To start the offseason, Berry plugged holes and started rebuilding Cleveland’s offensive line by trading for Tytus Howard and signing Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson in free agency.

But the NFL Draft took things to a new level for the Browns, who will have a completely different look in 2026 under first-time head coach Todd Monken.

What NFL Draft told us about Monken’s plan

Monken turned 60 shortly after being hired by the Browns and has waited several decades for the opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL. The grizzled offensive coordinator has preached relationship building with players and developing the young talent on Cleveland’s roster.

As Berry noted at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, the Browns are going to be one of the league’s youngest teams, but that doesn’t mean that they are trying to lose.

“One of the biggest misconceptions is that youth equals lack of performance,” Berry said. “Two of the three youngest teams this year were Philadelphia and Green Bay.”

Even without a rock solid plan at quarterback, the Browns want to be much better in 2026, especially on offense.

This was proven before the draft, when the team invested significant cash into veteran offensive line prospects. Of course, the Browns absolutely needed to rebuild their offensive line with all five starters hitting free agency. But solving three out of the five starting positions before the NFL Draft came around was key to Berry rebuilding the entire unit in one offseason.

At No. 9 overall, the Browns used their first draft pick on Utah’s Spencer Fano, the top offensive line prospect on Cleveland’s board.

New offensive coordinator Travis Switzer was a run game coordinator during his last stop with the Baltimore Ravens, so it’s easy to see that Monken will want to run the football behind this rebuilt offensive line. With a QB room in flux, utilizing Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson behind an improved offensive line should instantly help Cleveland’s offense take a step in the right direction.

Supporting the QB, whoever it might be

Even though the Browns don’t officially know if Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders will be their starting quarterback, the Browns knew they needed to support that passer.

Jerry Jeudy had a dreadful season. So the Browns drafted two wide receivers in KC Concepcion at No. 24 overall and Denzel Boston at No. 39 overall.

These rookies don’t have much overlap. They both complement Jeudy’s tactical route running abilities very well. Concepcion is a flashy speedster that can stretch the field while Boston’s 6-foot-4 frame provides a bigger target for quarterbacks.

Whether Watson or Sanders gets the start in 2026, neither quarterback will have many excuses.

Cleveland’s offensive line is set to be much improved. Jeudy, Concepcion and Boston should push less reliable receivers like Cedric Tillman down the depth chart. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who led the team in receiving yards last year and Judkins will put a bow on this revamped offense.

The Browns aren’t going to try and lose their way into the No. 1 overall pick. They have an experienced coach who is getting his first attempt at leading an organization. Berry invested major cash into the offensive line before spending the team’s first three draft picks on a left tackle and wide receivers.

Even if Cleveland’s quarterback situation remains unclear throughout the duration of next season, the 2026 NFL Draft proved that the Browns are in the business of winning games while stacking young talent to navigate their future.

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