Month: February 2026

Today begins the NFL Scouting Combine. The draft experts, (and I use that term loosely) will cling to measurements that are relatively meaningless. Players will move up and down their draft boards, but in reality, NFL team’s boards will stay the same. The Browns, for example, have been scouting the 2026 draft for roughly a year and a half. Any so-called analysis of what the Browns will do in the draft is frankly crap and speculation. Free agency and the trade market always come first for Browns GM Andrew Berry. I don’t understand the local media not knowing this. Berry has done this every year, signings and trades to build the roster so the Browns have the freedom to attack the draft as their board falls. His first year, he addressed two positions former GM John Dorsey ignored, the offensive line and tight end. His first two signings were RT Jack Conklin and TE Austin Hooper, so those two starting positions were covered.

There are things I’m going to pay attention to during the Combine. Height and weight of the players being tested. These will be their official numbers, not the ones their universities over exaggerate. An example would be LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. Yes, he’s 6’5″ but he’s very thin and then everyone will find out he has small hands which will turn off a lot of fans, because that’s an obsession with many. The most important thing about Nussmeier is he’s nowhere near being NFL ready. If any team takes him before day three, God help them. Just for context, this year’s quarterback draft is worse than last year. I’m also interested in hearing who the Browns interview. This will give fans an indication of what type of player the team is interested in. Finally, the Combine is where the deals for trades and signings are made. I love the rumors.

Speaking of rumors, here you go:

The Browns would love to have Joel Bitonio return. Both parties agreed to move his void date back as Bitonio decides to return. The Browns are giving him the time to digest what they are is doing.

Because of the injury to Judkins, the team is evaluating the running back position, whether in free agency or in the draft.

At this time the Browns are not pursuing WR Brandon Aiyuk.

JOK is still making his mind up if he wants to return. He has not told the Browns he’s going to retire, and the Browns are giving him all the time he needs to make his decision.

Speaking of JOK, the team has been in contact with Devin Bush’s representatives and would like him to return to the team.

The Browns are going to add to the QB room and would like to find a short-term starter.

Offensive line coach George Warhop has reached out to the linemen who are on the roster. He wants to see how their doing physically and to provide them with direction on his coaching style and what he expects from them.

Stay safe and Go Browns.

As Browns fans and the local Cleveland media make a big stink over the fact the team didn’t hire their defensive coordinator fast enough, I thought I’d post some news and notes.

New DC. The team announced they hired Mike Rutenberg as their new defensive coordinator. He’s a high energy guy who is described as controlled chaos and will be aggressive when necessary. He’s run many different defensive schemes and will fit the scheme to the players. There are rumors he’ll keep key assistants.

Salary Cap. The deadline on the decision for Joel Bitonio was yesterday. Still have no idea what happened, but the team doesn’t have to make any announcement. According to Over The Cap the Browns are still at $2.3 million under the cap. I expect GM Andrew Berry to make moves, restructures, to create more cap room prior to the beginning of the league year.

Important Dates. Today, teams can start designating Franchise and Transition players. The deadline to finish is March 3. The NFL Combine begins February 23 and runs through March 2. This is where the deals are made and the most important aspect of the Combine are the player interviews with teams. March 9 through March 11 is the legal tampering period. On March 11 at 4:00pm EST the league year officially starts. All teams must be below the 2026 salary cap of $303,500.00. On April 6, teams with new coaches can start their off-season programs. The 2026 NFL draft will be held in Pittsburg April 23 -25.

Finally it’s way too early for draft speculation. Andrew Berry uses free agency to fill holes in the roster. He’ll make trades and try and find young free agents. Don’t expect big splash signings, but the Browns will be busy. This front office has ten draft picks and are ranked third in the league in draft capital. The focus will be on offense, with the offensive line garnering the most attention. Stay safe and Go Browns.

It’s been a while since my last blog; I never thought the ice storm that hit Nashville would lead to my wife and I to be without power for twelve days. Still have my neighbor’s rotten tree in what’s left of my back yard, but things could’ve been worst. So, have the Browns done anything while I was gone? Let’s start with the new head coach, Todd Monken. I like this hire. He’s made quarterbacks better no matter where he coached and this offense needs all the help it can get. As for the Browns starting quarterback in 2026, he is not on the roster. He’ll be signed as a free agent or traded for. He won’t come from this year’s draft because this quarterback draft is worse than last year’s. Browns GM Andrew Berry will fix the offensive line, starting in free agency, whether it’s a signing or a trade and then finish the fix in the draft.

So Jim Schwartz took his ball and went home. I glad the team didn’t try and force him on any candidates, because with that attitude, it would’ve been a disaster on the level of John Dorsey disasters. The Browns still own his rights and no he cannot be traded for a pick. Not in the rules. I don’t worry about who they’re going to hire, because it’s a plumb job. A new defensive coordinator can come to Cleveland, make the defense better (believe me there’s room for improvement) and then turn that into a head coaching job in the 2027 cycle. Monken just needs to hire the right assistants. By the way, I’ve heard the entire coaching staff will be finished by the end of this week. I’m most interested in who they hire for the special team’s coach. That’s the most important hire.

So David Njoku is moving on. Not surprised in the lease bit. He had a great 2022 & 2023, an average 2024 and a bad 2025. I knew he was gone when they drafted Harold Fannin. Of course, the fans and the media are thinking the Browns should poach Isaiah Likely from the Ravens. Nope. Likely is similar to Fannin, a lighter tight end that runs routes like a wide receiver. If it’s me, I’m trying to sign Charlie Kolar from Baltimore. He’s an inline, hand on the ground tight end. If the Browns are going to add from the draft, which is great for the tight end position, I’m looking at Max Klare, Ohio State, Sam Roush, Stanford or Dallen Bentley, Utah.

So Mike Vrabel lost the Super Bowl. The Patriots had the easiest schedule in the NFL, and it showed. The Seahawks did to the Patriots what the Eagles did to the Chiefs the year before, bring pressure without blitzing. The last four teams in the championship games were the top four teams who were the best at bringing pressure from the defensive tackle position. And you wonder why the Browns drafted Mason Graham with the fifth overall pick and signed Malik Collins. According to history, New England won’t make the playoffs next year which doesn’t bode well for two-time coach of the year Mike Vrabel. This year, week one, both the Seahawks and the Patriots had a one percent chance to make the Super Bowl, so there’s always hope. Stay safe and Go Browns.