We’re on to Week 2 of the NFL’s official 2026 league year, which means the initial wave of signings has come and gone. Some intriguing veteran names remain on the market as unrestricted free agents, and general manager Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns could soon look to pounce.
The Browns took a tactical approach to the first wave of free agency, most notably shoring up the offensive line by reaching deals with interior linemen Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins. They also traded for right tackle Tytus Howard, re-signed guard Teven Jenkins, and added linebacker Quincy Williams of the Jets to replace Devin Bush, who left for a new three-year deal with the Chicago Bears.
Given Cleveland’s less-than-ideal salary cap situation, which necessitated a Deshaun Watson contract restructure to gain full compliance prior to free agency, Berry has managed to check some major boxes. A mountain of work remains, though, to set Todd Monken up for success entering his first year as head coach, and the Browns’ recent influx of cap space should allow them to sign more players prior to the draft in April.
This offseason will be all about competition for the Browns, from the quarterback room on down the roster. And while the overall goal for 2026 is to get younger and prepare for Watson’s exit in March of 2027, the team could still find some value on the open market with veterans on potential team-friendly, one-year deals.
These 3 Browns veterans could soon be looking over their shoulders in 2026
Alex Wright
Wright isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The 25-year-old just signed a three-year extension, tying him to Cleveland as Myles Garrett’s sidekick through 2028. The team could exit his contract after next season for just a $5.1 million cap charge, according to Spotrac, so he’ll need to continue to stay healthy and show improvement to see the balance of his contract.
There are some big-name edge defenders still on the market, led by Joey Bosa, A.J. Epenesa, Cam Jordan, Jadeveon Clowney, and Haason Reddick. Cleveland could be a draw for those guys, given its talent on defense. And despite clearly being in the team’s long-range plans, Wright hasn’t yet realized his full potential. He only has one season with over 500 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, and has yet to record six sacks in a single season.
The Browns need depth behind Wright and Garrett, and the former might benefit from having an established veteran behind him, pushing him for snaps.
Dawand Jones
Jones was one of the Browns’ biggest winners from the first wave of free agency, after the team passed on adding the top left tackle on the market, Rasheed Walker. Some interesting names are still out there, however, and Jones could be running out of chances after his latest season-ending injury limited him to three games in 2025.
As it stands, Jones has a clear path to either entering training camp as Cleveland’s starting left tackle, or at least splitting first-team reps initially with a top tackle prospect from this year’s draft.
The Browns could still look to add a veteran swing tackle, and it will be interesting to see if Jones ends up being that guy. Longtime Lions left tackle Taylor Decker surprisingly hit the market, and other names like Jonah Williams or Fred Johnson could become intriguing, if Walker’s depressed market (he settled for a $10 million deal from Carolina) is any indication.
Jerry Jeudy
The Browns have yet to add an external wide receiver this offseason, so Jeudy’s standing as one of the team’s top targets in 2026 appears strong. He’s coming off a down year, though, and Cleveland could save $3.8 million against the cap by trading Jeudy after June 1.
Cleveland was not in on any of the top wide receiver targets, like Alec Pierce, Mike Evans, and Romeo Doubs. That might have been by design, as Berry looked to reallocate resources to the offensive line.
Now, they could look to get in on the second wave of free agency at wide receiver. There are some logical targets remaining, led by Jauan Jennings, Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel, and Hollywood Brown.
The best-case scenario? Jeudy builds a better rapport with Cleveland’s current quarterback room and is able to recreate his Pro Bowl season in 2024. It’s also possible that the Browns add a sure-handed veteran on a one-year deal, double down in the NFL Draft, and hedge their bet on Jeudy entering training camp, when teams could come calling for a trade.