The bulk of the Cleveland Browns’ 2026 roster needs reside on offense. It's not an exaggeration to suggest that the team could use help at every offensive position on their depth chart.
There’s a sneaky need brewing on defense, though, and it just became more glaring after a young, fourth-year pro decided to walk in free agency.
Cleveland opted not to tender restricted free agent Mohamoud Diabate earlier this month, and per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the 24-year-old linebacker has agreed to terms with the Tennessee Titans.
It’s a curious decision by GM Andrew Berry and the Browns, who had several restricted free agents entering the new league year but only opted to tender safety Ronnie Hickman.
Diabate was never going to be a priority, but he started 11 games during the 2024 season and another six last season, and the team isn’t exactly crawling with inside linebacker depth at the moment.
the Browns’ linebacker depth just took a bigger hit than expected
So far, the Browns have swapped Devin Bush for Quincy Williams at off-ball linebacker, and that’s about it. The team has the luxury of reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger leading that group, but what’s behind him has become a growing concern.
The team would be in excellent shape if Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was healthy and fully cleared to resume his career, but that seems iffy at best following the serious neck injury he suffered in 2024. As it stands, the team’s down to special teamer Easton Mascarenas-Arnold and three players who didn’t play a snap in 2025 — Edefuan Ulofoshio, Nathaniel Watson and Winston Reid — as the remaining inside linebackers on the depth chart behind Schwesinger and Williams.
No one’s really expecting the Browns to use this year’s No. 6 overall draft pick on star Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles if he’s available, but with Berry and company, nothing can be ruled out.
The safer prediction is that the Browns’ 2026 draft class will include a linebacker for the third consecutive year. Cleveland currently holds nine selections, and after it addresses needs at offensive tackle and wide receiver, linebacker should be high on the priority list. The team could realistically target players like Georgia’s CJ Allen and Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez as early as Day 2.
Diabate’s production slipped at the end of the 2024 season and his role declined in 2025. Still, he’s a young player the team’s been developing since he signed as an undrafted rookie, and given the current state of the roster, letting him walk for what should be an extremely cheap contract is a serious head-scratcher.