Somewhat lost in the shuffle of an eventful Cleveland Browns offseason were some deep cuts, as in, useful players on the edges of last year’s 53-man roster who the team surprisingly opted not to bring back.
One of the most notable players was cornerback Martin Emerson Jr., Cleveland’s third-round draft pick in 2022 who showed some promise prior to suffering a season-ending Achilles injury at the start of training camp last year. He was seeking a prove-it contract this spring after his rookie deal expired, and the Browns passed, leading Emerson to sign on late with the New Orleans Saints.
The Browns could use all the depth they can find at cornerback behind locked-in starters Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell. The same thing can be said for inside linebacker, where reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger is poised to step into a clear leadership role. He’ll be joined by new addition Quincy Williams, who signed with Cleveland shortly after Devin Bush left in free agency for a new three-year contract with the Chicago Bears.
Cleveland had two unheralded players on its 2025 roster that helped fill the other off-the-ball linebacker spots in Jim Schwartz’s 4-3 defense. Jerome Baker and Mohamoud Diabate essentially split that responsibility opposite Bush, and they performed well enough in one of the league’s best all-around defenses to warrant new contracts for 2026.
Those deals never came. Diabate signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency. Baker, in perhaps the most surprising twist to date, remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent.
Now just weeks away from the start of training camp, the Browns have no clear frontrunner for that No. 3 linebacker spot behind Schwesinger and Williams. The situation makes for a fun discussion to dive into, which we’ll do here in our latest in a series of the 12 Dawg Fights that will end up shaping Todd Monken’s initial 53-man roster.
If the Browns stick with their traditional 4-3 alignment under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg, who will be the third inside linebacker? To steal a line from the great Nate Bargatze: Nobody knows.
The Dawg Fight at inside linebacker: Solving a training camp mystery
Before we dive into the top contenders for what could be a sneaky-important spot on the Browns’ depth chart this season, it’s important to note the projected wrinkles their new defensive coordinator could bring.
Cleveland notably passed on drafting an inside linebacker until the fifth round, when they took Alabama’s Justin Jefferson with the 149th pick. Three rounds earlier, GM Andrew Berry executed a trade up the board to land versatile defensive back Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
McNeil-Warren is the perfect fit for a more modern defensive alignment most commonly referred to as the “big nickel.” It was basically the Seattle Seahawks’ base defense under coach Mike Macdonald last season, utilizing a fifth defensive back — for Seattle, it was rookie safety Nick Emmanwori — who can step down to the line of scrimmage as a hybrid linebacker or bigger slot corner.
Time will tell if the Browns go all-in with a 4-2-5 alignment, but it’s a real possibility. Cleveland’s starting defensive back pairing of Ward and Campbell as the boundary corners, and Ronnie Hickman and Grant Delpit at safety, is about as locked in as it gets barring a trade. If Cleveland wants to get McNeil-Warren on the field early and often, the big nickel package is the cleanest path.
That’s because the Browns currently don’t have a clear-cut No. 3 inside linebacker to justify sticking with their typical 4-3 base alignment. It could take a big training camp from one of these contenders to flip an intriguing position battle from glorified depth player and special teamer to potential impact rotational player on defense.
The top contenders for the Browns’ No. 3 inside linebacker spot
Winston Reid
- Why he can win the job: Special teams. Prior to last year’s season-ending back injury that was suffered during the preseason, Reid was a core special teams player for Cleveland. In 2024, he finished second on the team with 373 snaps and six tackles on special teams, per Pro Football Focus. If this year’s third ILB spot is more about injury depth and versatility, the 26-year-old could be the right fit.
- Why he can lose the job: Reid is now nearly two years removed from seeing live reps on defense, as he logged 144 total defensive snaps in a depth role in 2024. He had one standout performance early that season against Washington with a half-sack, eight total tackles, and two pass breakups, but he struggled in his two starts later in the season. There’s a path for Reid this summer, but missing all of 2025 hurts his cause.
Justin Jefferson
- Why he can win the job: Numbers. Unless the Browns cave and decide to re-sign Baker after all, Jefferson, their fifth-round rookie, has a chance to turn heads this summer. The talent is certainly there. Jefferson had a productive senior season at Alabama, finishing with 85 combined tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and an interception in 15 games.
- Why he can lose the job: It’s rare for a fifth-round rookie to play a meaningful role on defense. Jefferson is a lock to make the team given his draft stock and the team’s overall lack of depth at the position, but 2026 is expected to be more of a developmental year for Jefferson. His best chance of being active on game days is what he proves he can do in camp on special teams.
Easton Mascarenas-Arnold
- Why he can win the job: Unlike his competition, Mascarenas-Arnold played NFL snaps during the 2025 season. He finished third on the team in special teams snaps with 262 and mixed in sparingly on defense as a depth linebacker behind Baker and Diabate. It wasn’t much, but it could be enough to give Mascarenas-Arnold an edge if the new coaching staff likes what they’ve seen on tape.
- Why he can lose the job: Lack of experience. Mascarenas-Arnold was an undrafted free agent signing in 2025 and has only played 12 career defensive snaps. He showed a willingness to stick his nose in against the run during last year’s preseason games, but he faces an uphill climb to prove he could play meaningful snaps on defense if either Schwesinger or Williams goes down with an injury.
Nathaniel Watson
- Why he can win the job: He was a sixth-round draft pick by the Browns in 2024, so the front office clearly saw something in the player. Watson was a core special teams player as a rookie and could use those skills as leverage this summer.
- Why he can lose the job: Similar to Reid, he missed the entire 2025 season after suffering a torn biceps during practice in August. He hasn’t played snaps on defense since Week 18 of 2024, when he got 33 snaps against the Baltimore Ravens but struggled in that game with three missed tackles, per PFF.
The X-factors that could make or break the Browns’ ILB3 competition
An external addition
Berry comes from the Howie Roseman school of roster building, and that often means scouring the trade market for help during training camp. The Browns could feasibly bring back Baker or swing a trade to shake this group up and add some much-needed depth.
The numbers game
The Browns typically keep five inside linebackers on their initial 53-man roster. Last year it was Schwesinger, Bush, Diabate, Baker, and Mascarenas-Arnold. If Cleveland plans to go with more nickel in 2026, they could justify carrying an extra defensive back over a fifth inside linebacker. That would add an extra layer of intrigue to this summer’s camp battle.
Special teams prowess
The one thing Reid, Watson, and Mascarenas-Arnold have in common is that they’ve all been core special team players for the Browns since arriving in Berea. The healthiest and most versatile player will likely gain the definitive edge.
It could take multiple preseason games for the coaching staff to get there, but through this lens, there’s one clear frontrunner entering camp.
Prediction: Winston Reid’s versatility leads him to Browns’ ILB3 job
Based on the roster Berry has constructed to date, Reid enters camp as the most logical choice. If the Browns wanted to play with three linebackers on the field, they likely would have re-signed Baker a while ago.
Instead, the Browns have a void. Reid stands as the team’s best option to fill it right now.
He’s a proven special teams ace with the added bonus of playing a real support role on defense during the 2024 season. The Browns could need that experience, as they would be in a tough spot if either Schwesinger or Williams had to miss time.
Reid’s presence should also take some pressure off of Jefferson, who could use a development year as a fifth-round draft pick. The Browns could still keep a fifth linebacker, with Mascarenas-Arnold and Watson likely batting it out for the final spot.
Behind the starters, it’s an uninspiring group of former UDFAs and Day 3 draft picks. A trade this summer could shake things up and definitely can’t be ruled out, but entering training camp, Reid’s ability to impact the game in multiple ways should earn him the top depth spot behind Cleveland’s two starters.
Fight card: ILB3
- Leader: Winston Reid
- Challengers: Justin Jefferson, Nathaniel Watson, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold
- Projected winner: Reid
- Confidence level: 2.5 out of 5
— The next Dawg Fight: WR5 (Wednesday, July 15)
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