Three Cleveland Browns That Could Boom or Bust in 2026
Heading into this offseason, first-time head coach Todd Monken entered the Cleveland Browns job with a bevy of problems to solve. The head coach would need to figure out Cleveland’s over two-decade-long quarterback search, an offensive line that was arguably the league’s worst in 2025, and a wide receiver room that was absolutely just as bad last season as the offensive line. Well, after another highly-ranked Andrew Berry draft class and a few intriguing free agent signings, the picture has become a little bit clearer for Monken. That said, this is still a team that only won five games last season and eight over the last two years. The Browns could very well improve on their 2024 and 2025 records, with another two-win bump being a realistic best-case scenario. If Cleveland wants to be even better and avoid another dreadful season, here are three Browns who could either boom or bust in 2026.
Shedeur Sanders
Although Shedeur Sanders has been turning heads this summer with his offseason workouts and training camp performances, his rookie campaign left a lot to be desired. With one of the worst single-season quarterback ratings in franchise history and persistent turnover issues, the rookie quarterback performed well enough to fill in at the 2025 Pro Bowl but not well enough for the franchise to hand him the reins outright. However, the biggest reason for this is that his first head coach, Kevin Stefanski, never really trusted Sanders to handle the offense and stifled his rise to starter status for as long as he could. Monken has spoken at length about the ongoing quarterback battle between the former Colorado Buffalo and Deshaun Watson, and all signs indicate that the former will have a true shot at leading the offense this season. If the franchise really is serious about providing Sanders with playing time and offensive assets around him, which they have indicated with first-round draft picks like Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion, then the chance that he booms in 2026 is very real. Say the turnover issues persist, or if Monken can’t develop a quarterback like he showed he could as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator, then look out for a significant drop in the stock of the ‘Young King’.
Zion Johnson
Signed as a part of Cleveland’s expensive free agent class, Zion Johnson was given a mixed reception by the ‘Dawg Pound’ when the news broke about him signing with the Browns. This is largely due to Johnson’s mixed bag of a career with the Los Angeles Chargers. When he’s healthy, and fortunately, he almost always is, the Boston College product is one of the best run-blockers in all of the NFL. With all signs indicating from Monken’s past that Cleveland will pound the rock in 2026 with Quinshon Judkins, that’s already one positive for the 26-year-old. Where the cracks start to show is in pass protection, and anyone who watched the Chargers allow Justin Herbert to get sacked consistently could tell you that Johnson was to blame for this at times. As for how he will perform as a Brown, it will be up to the distinguished veteran offensive line coach George Warhop, who coached Cleveland greats like Joe Thomas and Alex Mack during his last stint with the Browns from 2009 to 2013, to develop Johnson into a better pass protector.
Jerry Jeudy
Honestly, it feels like every year has been a boom-or-bust season for Jerry Jeudy since he came into the league over half a decade ago. There’s the highlight of his career, his 2024 Pro Bowl season in which he hauled in 1,229 receiving yards and four touchdowns from a bevy of below-average quarterbacks Cleveland trotted out that year. Unfortunately for the former Alabama standout, he’s also put up a couple of disappointing seasons along the way. To give the former first-round pick some grace, he’s never played with a truly competent quarterback. With names like Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Jeff Driskel, and the disaster that was Denver Broncos Russell Wilson showing why Jeudy hasn’t been able to break out coming into his seventh season in the league. Unfortunately, sooner or later, the 27-year-old will have to show both Cleveland and the rest of the 31 other teams that he’s worthy of future contracts. The version of 2026 in which he booms could be another season of 700-800 receiving yards, as well as mentoring younger players at the position. If he can’t do this, then Browns fans and management alike will be quick to label Jeudy a bust.
