Back in late May, the start of Todd Monken’s first OTA program as head coach of the Cleveland Browns got off to an ominous start.
The Browns were conducting a walkthrough with no helmets when defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. went down with an apparent non-contact leg injury. He was removed from the field as a precaution and, thankfully, the whole ordeal wound up being nothing but a scare.
It did serve as a reminder of how thin the line is for Hall and his future in Cleveland, though.
General manager Andrew Berry and the Browns invested a second-round pick in the former Ohio State star during the 2024 draft. So far, due mostly to a torn MCL and dislocated knee suffered during the final game of his rookie season, Hall has been limited to just 17 total appearances and three starts in two seasons.
The opportunity for Hall to finally prove Berry right will be firmly on the table this summer.
The Browns placed Maliek Collins, whose career year ended abruptly in 2025 due to a severe quad injury, on the active/PUP list ahead of camp. That designation means that the team can activate him when it deems he’s ready to resume practice reps.
ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi listed a group of interior defensive linemen who stand to benefit from additional reps alongside starter Mason Graham. Browns fans won't have to look hard to spot the name that stands out.
“Browns coach Todd Monken was noncommittal during the spring on if Collins would be ready for the start of camp,” Oyefusi wrote. “In the meantime, Mike Hall, Adin Huntington, Sam Kamara and Kalia Davis should get increased opportunities.”
Mike Hall Jr. may be entering a make-or-break training camp with the Cleveland Browns
Hall’s opportunity this summer can’t be overstated. Collins should be a full go prior to Week 1 of the regular season, but he just turned 31 in April, and the Browns didn’t add much competition to their defensive interior.
Cleveland only drafted two defensive players in the 2026 NFL Draft — a defensive back and off-ball linebacker. The Browns’ most notable change was swapping veteran Shelby Harris with former San Francisco 49ers starter Kalia Davis.
Hall’s top competition could be Adin Huntington, an undrafted free agent signing last year that the team is high on.
But now entering his third year as a pro, the time is now for Hall. The team should be looking to funnel opportunities to a player it invested a high draft pick on.
If it’s ever going to come together for Hall in Cleveland, this summer feels like the perfect runway, and Collins' injury has kicked that door wide open.
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