Once again, most of the discourse surrounding the 2026 Cleveland Browns revolves around the quarterback situation. Granted, it's hard to talk about anything else with the Browns ahead of Week 1.
That said, it takes much more than respectable quarterback play to succeed in this league. And while that might be enough for a pessimistic outlook, there's actually plenty to look forward to in the first year of the Todd Monken era.
With a new coaching staff and a plethora of young playmakers at the top of the depth chart, this could at least be a fun, developmental season for Cleveland.
Considering that, let's share our boldest predictions for the 2026 season.
From a quarterback carousel to a Jerry Jeudy trade, Cleveland could be in for a wild year
1. Jared Verse will rank top-three in the NFL in sacks
Verse has amassed 12 total sacks over his first two years in the league. He just set a career high of 7.5 in 2025, but with the way he's attacked the offseason since getting traded to the Browns, we can see that number doubling this season.
For years, there was talk about how the Browns schemed things up so Myles Garrett could dominate and get his numbers. That should be taken with a grain of salt, as it's not like Garrett needed much help to be the most dominant pass rusher in football.
But with a new, aggressive scheme and Verse playing with a chip on his shoulder, it wouldn't be shocking to see him crack at least 12 sacks in 2026. With a favorable schedule over the second half of the year, a 15-sack season should be within the ascending star's reach.
2. All three Browns quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster will start at least one game
The Browns have started at least three quarterbacks in each of the last three seasons, including five in 2023. Unfortunately, we don't see that infamous stretch ending any time soon.
Everyone knows that the Watson experiment is a ticking time bomb, with Shedeur Sanders likely set to take over at some point. But what if he doesn't look the part, or the season is already lost by the final two weeks?
The Browns looked extremely high on Taylen Green, and he's reportedly made big strides behind the scenes. The quarterback of the future likely isn't on the roster, but they might at least want to see what they have in the former Arkansas standout, at least in Week 18.
As for Dillon Gabriel, who will open the season on short-term injured reserve, he's probably more of a future trade candidate at this point.
3. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy will be traded before the NFL's Nov. 10 deadline
Speaking of trade candidates, this might be Jerry Jeudy's final year in Cleveland. The Browns would save some immediate cap space by moving him, and a wide receiver-needy team could be tempted to acquire the former first-round pick ahead of the deadline.
The writing is already on the wall. The Browns doubled-dipped at wide receiver with KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, and they moved Boston to Jeudy's "X" spot as the team's main boundary receiver.
Isaiah Bond also turned heads during the offseason program and should be the next man up. Regardless of whether Jeudy struggles or bounces back in 2026, he doesn't fit this team's timeline, and he might also rather play for a contender.
4. KC Concepcion will score multiple special team touchdowns
Everyone has gushed about KC Concepcion's speed and playmaking. That said, he's much more than just a weapon for the offense, and Todd Monken talked about putting the ball in his hands as often as possible.
Concepcion gave us a glimpse of his explosiveness on special teams during Cleveland's preseason debut. He also stated a goal of scoring three-plus special teams touchdowns in 2026. That might be a little aggressive, but we wouldn't put it past him.
While the Browns must be careful not to wear him down and put him in harm's way, Concepcion is a big play waiting to happen on every touch. He doesn't need much time to get off to the races, and he has a chance to be an All-Pro returner as a rookie.
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