INDIANAPOLIS — The 2026 NFL Combine marks the unofficial kickoff to the offseason, and no team entered Lucas Oil Stadium with a bigger red flag than the Cleveland Browns. General Manager Andrew Berry just watched 4,075 offensive line snaps evaporate into free agency. Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, Joel Bitonio, and Jack Conklin all hit the open market this spring, gutting a core that defined Cleveland’s physical identity for half a decade.
The Collapse in the Trenches
Cleveland did not just lose veterans; they lost their shield. Father Time and expiring contracts caught up simultaneously. According to FTN StatsHub, the Browns surrendered a league-worst 37.8% pressure rate in 2025. Running backs slammed into brick walls, managing a dismal 1.7 yards before contact, the fourth-lowest mark in the NFL.
The writing appeared on the wall early. Conklin restructured his deal to accelerate his free agency to 2026. Bitonio and Pocic carry void years that push them out the door. Teller already posted his goodbyes on Instagram earlier this week. Walking through the skywalks connecting the downtown hotels to Lucas Oil Stadium, you could almost feel the urgency radiating from the Browns’ scouting contingent. The front office knows a youth infusion is mandatory. Opposing defenses wrecked the Browns’ pocket last year, and Berry must use this week’s meetings with agents and draft prospects to reconstruct the wall from scratch.
“You don’t just replace guys who bleed for the city. But the NFL is a ruthless business, and right now, we have to find five angry guys who want to protect the quarterback. It starts up front.”
— Anonymous Browns Front Office Executive
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
The Browns hold the cards to fix this quickly if they navigate the salary cap correctly. Cleveland operates aggressively with cash spending, but finding plug-and-play starters at the Combine is rare. Expect the front office to target high-upside tackles on Days 1 and 2 of the draft, while aggressively shopping in the second wave of free agency to secure bridge veterans.
If Cleveland whiffs on rebuilding this line, their quarterback room faces another season of running for survival. They need to leave Indianapolis with verbal commitments from veteran agents and a stacked draft board of interior bullies. The AFC North punishes weak trenches, and right now, Cleveland has the weakest in the division.
