While most people talk about the Cleveland Browns' desperate need for a quarterback (and rightly so) rebuilding the offensive line is as important right now, if not more. Four of five starters will be free agents, and there's not much depth behind them.
With that in mind, most scouts and experts have the Browns taking at least one offensive lineman in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Still, that won't be enough to fill the voids they might have, so they will probably spend big bucks to address that issue in free agency.
As such, team insider Mary Kay Cabot believes they could be gearing up to make a big splash this offseason. In her latest appearance at Sports4CLE, Cabot predicted the Browns will go after a bona fide star for their offensive line.
"They'll probably acquire some [veteran offensive linemen]," Cabot said. "They're not going to load up on a bunch of 30-year-olds like they did one year. This team is being built for the future, and it's built for sustainable success. If that would happen to be center or anywhere else along the offensive line, you're going to have to be creative on how you rebuild that offensive line. Sometimes, it's easier to get an established guy than to make a mistake on someone in the draft."
Browns reportedly have a clear plan to fix their aging offensive line
Of course, that will be easier said than done, given their salary cap limitations. As things stand now, the Browns only have $3.2 million in available cap space, according to Over The Cap. Then again, there are always ways to get around the cap, and restructuring Deshaun Watson's contract would free upwards of $35 million.
The Browns could try to make a run at free agent center Tyler Linderbaum to replace Ethan Pocic. He's familiar with new head coach Todd Monken and offensive line coach George Warhop. But the Baltimore Ravens might choose to use their franchise tag on him.
They could also go after Rasheed Walker. The Green Bay Packers star is just 26 years old, so he's a perfect fit for this timeline, and while Spotrac projects his market value at a whopping $20.2 million per year, he'd be a long-term solution. They could then take Francis Mauigoa at No. 6 overall to get their right tackle for the future.
The Browns need to find more talent for their wide receiver corps, but protecting the quarterback and creating running lanes for the running backs is probably their No. 1 priority right now. If that means spending big to get it done, so be it. It's time to make a move, and they cannot afford to settle for mid-tier guys.