The Cleveland Browns should be a formidable defensive unit again this coming season. Cleveland was impressive on that side of the ball in 2025, and although losing Devin Bush in free agency was tough, the Browns quickly pivoted to Quincy Williams. This overall group is stingy.
Cleveland has reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett and impactful players across its defense, and there shouldn’t be much of a drop-off under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg. Granted, there seems to have been some awkwardness involving Garrett and the team regarding offseason communication, but it's still very early.
One key contributor who may be going a bit unnoticed from last season is Maliek Collins, whose 2025 campaign ended early because of a quad injury. His return should make a difference, as he proved to be a quality sidekick to Garrett as an interior rusher with 6.5 sacks in 12 starts.
Gennaro Filice of NFL.com recently named Collins one of the NFL's most underappreciated players entering 2026.
"If Collins returns to full health this fall and Mason Graham continues to develop in Year 2, Cleveland has the firepower on its defensive front to completely wreck games," Filice wrote. "That’s key, as the Browns continue their never-ending quest for a quarterback."
Maliek Collins deserves far more attention than he's getting
Collins has been a productive interior defender in the NFL. Last season, Pro Football Focus gave him a 87.2 pass-rush grade, which ranked third out of 134 qualifying players.
In 2025, Collins' 6.5 sacks were a career best to go with seven tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits. In his two prior years with the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans, he posted 10 combined sacks and had 30 quarterback hits.
While he's not going to generate the same pub as players like Garrett, Denzel Ward, and Carson Schwesinger, Collins should continue to be a valuable piece for Cleveland. With his ability to get pressure inside while still holding up well against the run, his skill set meshes well with Garrett and Cleveland’s other edge defenders.
Collins may not achieve the same elite pass-rush stats that he had last season, but he is more than capable of being a quality veteran piece for Cleveland’s defense. He should also continue to be a valuable resource for the likes of Mason Graham and other young guys behind the scenes.
To Filice's point, it’s great for the Browns to have Collins back in the fold. If he can stay healthy, the Browns' front seven should once again be a force in 2026.
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