When the Cleveland Browns made the seismic decision to trade Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams on June 1, they undeniably sacrificed a clear roster strength with an eye on being better positioned for longer-term success.
The loss of Garrett was mitigated somewhat by the addition of Jared Verse, who’s in the conversation for the NFL’s next wave of star pass rushers. But we’re talking about Myles Garrett here. The man recorded more sacks during a four-game stretch in 2025 than Verse’s two full seasons as a pro — with double the attention from offensive linemen and tight ends.
That’s why it’s a major win for GM Andrew Berry and the Browns that their new-look defensive line is still being considered a major strength entering 2026.
Bleacher Report’s Kris Knox believes the Browns’ new young core of Verse, Mason Graham, and Alex Wright will remain a factor in 2026 — and he’s not wrong.
“Cleveland got two-time Pro Bowler Jared Verse back in the Garrett deal, and it still has the bulk of last year's rotation—including Mason Graham, Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire, and Maliek Collins—though Collins is opening camp on the PUP list,” Knox wrote. “The Browns' defensive line won't wreak as much havoc as it did with Garrett leading the charge, but it'll still be a unit that opposing teams will have to game plan for.”
The Cleveland Browns’ path to contention starts in the trenches
The Browns made significant changes on both sides of the line and are set to debut a completely new starting group of offensive linemen in training camp this week. Given Berry’s poor track record of drafting and developing talent at those positions, the performance of rookies Spencer Fano, Austin Barber, and Parker Brailsford in particular will be huge this year.
That extends to the defensive line, which will be led into the Monken era by Verse on the edge and Graham on the interior. Those two players should emerge as franchise cornerstones in short order, with some quality young pieces like Wright and Isaiah McGuire still in the pipeline.
Depth remains a concern, as the team could be leaning on undrafted rookie Logan Fano — Spencer’s older brother — as its fourth edge rusher. There also isn’t a ton of depth behind Graham and veteran Maliek Collins along the interior, although the upside of players like Mike Hall Jr. and Adin Huntington could shine through this summer.
The good news for Cleveland is that, thanks to the Garrett trade, it holds two first-round draft picks in 2027, and 11 selections overall. Berry should have the resources to fill those gaps, and the roster as a whole will be in excellent shape if the defensive line remains formidable in 2026, sans Garrett.
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