Starting Offense - thoughts
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My present understanding of Monken is that that's his style. He tailors his offense to the strengths of the players that he has and doesn't try to jam them into a playbook of round holes. Heck, he was in the war room for the drafting of the two WR's. I'm assuming that they fit what he's intending to do.
THIS is what I'm most interested in watching with Monken.
I feel this is what he does better than Stefanski, who IMO is way more of a system guy. Hypothetically, if there's any gas in the tank left with Watson I can see him doing better with Monken than he did with Stefanski. (Not that I'm blaming Stefanski for his overall play in Cleveland, but they were a bad fit.)
THIS is what I'm most interested in watching with Monken.
I feel this is what he does better than Stefanski, who IMO is way more of a system guy. Hypothetically, if there's any gas in the tank left with Watson I can see him doing better with Monken than he did with Stefanski. (Not that I'm blaming Stefanski for his overall play in Cleveland, but they were a bad fit.)
I dunno. I think Stef did what he could with what he had. I’m spending a fair amount of time thinking about what Monken’s offensive system will look like based on what l can recall of Baltimore’s system, and l keep coming back to the first few years when Stefanski was running things. This is when we had a strong core of an IOL with Tretter, Bitonio and Teller, and our tackles were less banged up and making better “business decisions.”
There was a lot of directional blocking and blocking schemes that involved a lot of athleticism from the O-line to get hats on hats with favorable match-ups. Baltimore was really good at layering up blocking schemes just like we were back then.
It was hella fun to watch. And then our O-line got old and injury prone and it just wasn’t working anymore.
I see some of the attributes for the O-line guys we drafted and l’m hoping we get back to that brand of football.
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I don’t expect Brailsford to be the starting center.
I think Jenkins starts at center, with Teven Jenkins then starting at one of the guard positions
With the exception of the 9th overall pick, I don't expect any other rookie on the OL to be the week 1 starter. Having said that, I'm not all that sold on Elgton Jenkins holding down the Center position all that long. Since 2021 has had 3 major injuries. These were: ACL; MCL; Broken Fibula. I won't pretend to know a lot about him beyond that. I know the rookie Brailsford from Bama is very quick, strong and smart; BUT there's some real stout & country-strong experienced NTs/DTs weighing up to 360 lbs that a 280-285 lb rookie frame might not be immediately ready for regardless of how strong he is. Let's just say, he should probably get his weight up to at least 300 lbs. That won't cement shoe a guy that's already quick. I wouldn't be surprised if he took over the starting job somewhere between our 5th & 9th game. Just a guess, but I think there will be efforts toward making his anchor heavy enough for GO TIME! FWIW, I expect Tytus Howard to be starting at 1 of the Guard spots.
With the exception of the 9th overall pick, I don't expect any other rookie on the OL to be the week 1 starter. Having said that, I'm not all that sold on Elgton Jenkins holding down the Center position all that long. Since 2021 has had 3 major injuries. These were: ACL; MCL; Broken Fibula. I won't pretend to know a lot about him beyond that. I know the rookie Brailsford from Bama is very quick, strong and smart; BUT there's some real stout & country-strong experienced NTs/DTs weighing up to 360 lbs that a 280-285 lb rookie frame might not be immediately ready for regardless of how strong he is. Let's just say, he should probably get his weight up to at least 300 lbs. That won't cement shoe a guy that's already quick. I wouldn't be surprised if he took over the starting job somewhere between our 5th & 9th game. Just a guess, but I think there will be efforts toward making his anchor heavy enough for GO TIME! FWIW, I expect Tytus Howard to be starting at 1 of the Guard spots.
E. Jenkins is a better guard than he is a Center. One of the reasons I was hoping for one of the Top Centers.
I believe Howard at RT is the only thing I’m pretty sure about and I think the Browns paid him the money to play that spot
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With the exception of the 9th overall pick, I don't expect any other rookie on the OL to be the week 1 starter. Having said that, I'm not all that sold on Elgton Jenkins holding down the Center position all that long. Since 2021 has had 3 major injuries. These were: ACL; MCL; Broken Fibula. I won't pretend to know a lot about him beyond that. I know the rookie Brailsford from Bama is very quick, strong and smart; BUT there's some real stout & country-strong experienced NTs/DTs weighing up to 360 lbs that a 280-285 lb rookie frame might not be immediately ready for regardless of how strong he is. Let's just say, he should probably get his weight up to at least 300 lbs. That won't cement shoe a guy that's already quick. I wouldn't be surprised if he took over the starting job somewhere between our 5th & 9th game. Just a guess, but I think there will be efforts toward making his anchor heavy enough for GO TIME! FWIW, I expect Tytus Howard to be starting at 1 of the Guard spots.
E. Jenkins is a better guard than he is a Center. One of the reasons I was hoping for one of the Top Centers.
I believe Howard at RT is the only thing I’m pretty sure about and I think the Browns paid him the money to play that spot
E. Jenkins is a better guard than he is a Center. One of the reasons I was hoping for one of the Top Centers.
I believe Howard at RT is the only thing I’m pretty sure about and I think the Browns paid him the money to play that spot
Well said SdB. I've head that about E-Jenks being a better Guard than Center. I do think Howard can be a very reliable Guard or Tackle based on him proving that in Houston.
The polarizing guy I'm finding is Austin Barber. I've seen some of his Senior Bowl practice drills with him going 1 on 1 as the LT and I didn't see him lose any of the 6-7 battles that were shown. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. I'm looking forward to it...
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E. Jenkins is a better guard than he is a Center. One of the reasons I was hoping for one of the Top Centers.
I believe Howard at RT is the only thing I’m pretty sure about and I think the Browns paid him the money to play that spot
Well said SdB. I've head that about E-Jenks being a better Guard than Center. I do think Howard can be a very reliable Guard or Tackle based on him proving that in Houston.
The polarizing guy I'm finding is Austin Barber. I've seen some of his Senior Bowl practice drills with him going 1 on 1 as the LT and I didn't see him lose any of the 6-7 battles that were shown. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. I'm looking forward to it...
Well said SdB. I've head that about E-Jenks being a better Guard than Center. I do think Howard can be a very reliable Guard or Tackle based on him proving that in Houston.
The polarizing guy I'm finding is Austin Barber. I've seen some of his Senior Bowl practice drills with him going 1 on 1 as the LT and I didn't see him lose any of the 6-7 battles that were shown. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. I'm looking forward to it...
We didnt talk about Barber pre draft and we probably should have…did an AI search on him he has 39 career starts 34 at left tackle. Started five games as a redshirt freshman. Only 3 sacks allowed last year but 17 QB pressures. No sacks given up over the last six games. If you take the PFF scores he appears to be further along with run blocking than pass blocking but scored an 81 in pass protection against Georgia. Looks like he had a rough time against the Miami bookends. LSU, Georgia, Miami, Texas and Ole Miss no stranger to elite edge competition.
Probably the kind of prospect that a good team drafts and sits him behind an established player for a couple years- that appears to be what we will do barring injuries. What is nice is we come into a season with DRAFTED depth and not 2/3 undrafted/unwanted guys filling out depth spots.
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With the exception of the 9th overall pick, I don't expect any other rookie on the OL to be the week 1 starter. Having said that, I'm not all that sold on Elgton Jenkins holding down the Center position all that long. Since 2021 has had 3 major injuries. These were: ACL; MCL; Broken Fibula. I won't pretend to know a lot about him beyond that. I know the rookie Brailsford from Bama is very quick, strong and smart; BUT there's some real stout & country-strong experienced NTs/DTs weighing up to 360 lbs that a 280-285 lb rookie frame might not be immediately ready for regardless of how strong he is. Let's just say, he should probably get his weight up to at least 300 lbs. That won't cement shoe a guy that's already quick. I wouldn't be surprised if he took over the starting job somewhere between our 5th & 9th game. Just a guess, but I think there will be efforts toward making his anchor heavy enough for GO TIME! FWIW, I expect Tytus Howard to be starting at 1 of the Guard spots.
E. Jenkins is a better guard than he is a Center. One of the reasons I was hoping for one of the Top Centers.
I believe Howard at RT is the only thing I’m pretty sure about and I think the Browns paid him the money to play that spot
I was hoping for one of the Top Centers
As was I. We are weak there...and it's the shortest distance to disrupt the passer. Berry admits to miscalculating the Centers coming off the board. ok, fine. But IMO he didn't prioritize our need at Center enough. By drafting Brailsford they show the lack of faith they have in Wypler. But we're not all that sure that they've upgraded much on him. I'm hoping that we don't have to move Jenkins to Center.
BEING A BROWNS FAN IS A TEST TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU CAN TAKE -
Well said SdB. I've head that about E-Jenks being a better Guard than Center. I do think Howard can be a very reliable Guard or Tackle based on him proving that in Houston.
The polarizing guy I'm finding is Austin Barber. I've seen some of his Senior Bowl practice drills with him going 1 on 1 as the LT and I didn't see him lose any of the 6-7 battles that were shown. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. I'm looking forward to it...
We didnt talk about Barber pre draft and we probably should have…did an AI search on him he has 39 career starts 34 at left tackle. Started five games as a redshirt freshman. Only 3 sacks allowed last year but 17 QB pressures. No sacks given up over the last six games. If you take the PFF scores he appears to be further along with run blocking than pass blocking but scored an 81 in pass protection against Georgia. Looks like he had a rough time against the Miami bookends. LSU, Georgia, Miami, Texas and Ole Miss no stranger to elite edge competition.
Probably the kind of prospect that a good team drafts and sits him behind an established player for a couple years- that appears to be what we will do barring injuries. What is nice is we come into a season with DRAFTED depth and not 2/3 undrafted/unwanted guys filling out depth spots.
We didnt talk about Barber pre draft and we probably should have…did an AI search on him he has 39 career starts 34 at left tackle. Started five games as a redshirt freshman. Only 3 sacks allowed last year but 17 QB pressures. No sacks given up over the last six games. If you take the PFF scores he appears to be further along with run blocking than pass blocking but scored an 81 in pass protection against Georgia. Looks like he had a rough time against the Miami bookends. LSU, Georgia, Miami, Texas and Ole Miss no stranger to elite edge competition.
Probably the kind of prospect that a good team drafts and sits him behind an established player for a couple years- that appears to be what we will do barring injuries. What is nice is we come into a season with DRAFTED depth and not 2/3 undrafted/unwanted guys filling out depth spots.
Yeah, Miami's book ends (coached by one of the most underrated NFL DEs - Jason Taylor) absolutely destroyed Ohio State's OTs inclusive of 2nd Team All Conference LT Austin Siereveld. Part of the problem at Florida was their young QB DJ Lagway was a slow processor that held onto the ball too long. If you throw the ball late in conferences with good defenses - throwing a lot of INTs is inevitable. All that said, Florida's OL was inconsistent at protecting Lagway and I'm guessing Barber was also guilty of this at times seeing some of the mixed reviews he's had from draft analysts.
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Barber's scouting evaluations kind of scream to me "This guy will be moved inside to guard" to me, and he might end up being a legit starter there.
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I was hoping for one of the Top Centers
As was I. We are weak there...and it's the shortest distance to disrupt the passer. Berry admits to miscalculating the Centers coming off the board. ok, fine. But IMO he didn't prioritize our need at Center enough. By drafting Brailsford they show the lack of faith they have in Wypler. But we're not all that sure that they've upgraded much on him. I'm hoping that we don't have to move Jenkins to Center.
As was I. We are weak there...and it's the shortest distance to disrupt the passer. Berry admits to miscalculating the Centers coming off the board. ok, fine. But IMO he didn't prioritize our need at Center enough. By drafting Brailsford they show the lack of faith they have in Wypler. But we're not all that sure that they've upgraded much on him. I'm hoping that we don't have to move Jenkins to Center.
Very good points! Luke Wypler was a 6th round daft pick that had a serious season ending injury in his 2nd NFL pre-season followed by nagging injuries in his 3rd season with inconsistency in his performances when filling in. So? This year they drafted Parker Brailsford in round 5. My guess? They (AB, Warhop & Monken) really liked Florida's LT Austin Barber in round 3 feeling like they can use him on either side. Let's pretend he played at Utah against their schedule/competition with a much more decisive QB than Florida had - is it conceivable he grades out as good as Caleb Lomu? Barber played basketball in high school so when he covered people he got used to moving his feet laterally and staying between his man and the basket. It's possible I'm wishful thinking the crap out of him; but I don't mind what the Browns did. We have the depth to cover the Center position until Brailsford is ready. Athlon Sports Draft Review had Brailsford projected for the 4th round fwiw.
It seemed to be pre-determined this year that elite Centers could be drafted as late as round 3; and I'm talking guys like Iowa's Logan Jones (Rimington Award Winner as the Nations best Center); Auburn's Connor Lew & Mich State's Matt Gulbin would have also been early faves if they didn't suffer knee injuries in 2025. Then there were guys like: Florida's Jake Slaughter; Duke's Brian Parker II; Kansas State's Sam Hecht; Vandy's Jordan White; Miami's James Brockermeyer; Kentucky's Jager Burton; Kansas' Bryce Foster: Louisville's Pete Nygra, etc.
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Barber's scouting evaluations kind of scream to me "This guy will be moved inside to guard" to me, and he might end up being a legit starter there.
Barber's scouting evaluations kind of scream to me "This guy will be moved inside to guard" to me, and he might end up being a legit starter there.
If so, why would they have felt compelled to draft him in round 3? I'm not saying you're gonna be wrong when it's all said and done. I am saying this polarizing prospect pleasantly surprised people during Senior Bowl week. Here's some cut and paste stuff:
Yes, former Florida Gators offensive tackle Austin Barber had a strong 2026 Senior Bowl week, with reports highlighting him as a standout performer in Mobile, Alabama. He displayed exceptional lateral agility, maintained consistent hand placement, and demonstrated versatility by working on both sides of the line. [, 2, 3]Key Takeaways from Barber's Senior Bowl Week:- Performance: He was described as one of the best tackles at the all-star game.
- Skill Set: Evaluators noted his ability to mirror speed rushers, using long arms to stay connected to defender pads.
- Draft Stock: Barber's performance at the Panini Senior Bowl 2026 strengthened his reputation as a high-potential offensive tackle.
- Versatility: He played primarily left tackle but is recognized as having swing tackle potential, with experience at both tackle positions. [, 2, 3]
While other practice reports sometimes noted inconsistencies with his footwork, he was frequently lauded for his mobility and ability to work into the second level. [1, ]-
Austin Barber, OT - Florida | Senior Bowl RisersFeb 7, 2026 — austin Bower i mean excuse me Austin Barber. he's also from Florida uh he was a lot he I thought he was a basketball player when I...3:06YouTube·The Dawgs - A Cleveland Browns Podcast
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2026 Senior Bowl OL Day 3 Practice Notes & TakeawaysJan 30, 2026 — Fluid mover who gets to spots quickly and carries his weight well. Raw, robotic footwork and use of hands led to several short cor...
Trench Warfare | Brandon Thorn·Trench Warfare -
Browns 2026 NFL draft: OT Austin Barber interview with DBNApr 29, 2026 — The offensive line could very well be five new players in 2026. The need for quality offensive tackles is very real. Austin Barber...
Yahoo Sports
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Barber's scouting evaluations kind of scream to me "This guy will be moved inside to guard" to me, and he might end up being a legit starter there.
If so, why would they have felt compelled to draft him in round 3? I'm not saying you're gonna be wrong when it's all said and done. I am saying this polarizing prospect pleasantly surprised people during Senior Bowl week. Here's some cut and paste stuff:
Yes, former Florida Gators offensive tackle Austin Barber had a strong 2026 Senior Bowl week, with reports highlighting him as a standout performer in Mobile, Alabama. He displayed exceptional lateral agility, maintained consistent hand placement, and demonstrated versatility by working on both sides of the line. [, 2, 3]Key Takeaways from Barber's Senior Bowl Week:- Performance: He was described as one of the best tackles at the all-star game.
- Skill Set: Evaluators noted his ability to mirror speed rushers, using long arms to stay connected to defender pads.
- Draft Stock: Barber's performance at the Panini Senior Bowl 2026 strengthened his reputation as a high-potential offensive tackle.
- Versatility: He played primarily left tackle but is recognized as having swing tackle potential, with experience at both tackle positions. [, 2, 3]
While other practice reports sometimes noted inconsistencies with his footwork, he was frequently lauded for his mobility and ability to work into the second level. [1, ]-
Austin Barber, OT - Florida | Senior Bowl RisersFeb 7, 2026 — austin Bower i mean excuse me Austin Barber. he's also from Florida uh he was a lot he I thought he was a basketball player when I...3:06YouTube·The Dawgs - A Cleveland Browns Podcast
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2026 Senior Bowl OL Day 3 Practice Notes & TakeawaysJan 30, 2026 — Fluid mover who gets to spots quickly and carries his weight well. Raw, robotic footwork and use of hands led to several short cor...
Trench Warfare | Brandon Thorn·Trench Warfare -
Browns 2026 NFL draft: OT Austin Barber interview with DBNApr 29, 2026 — The offensive line could very well be five new players in 2026. The need for quality offensive tackles is very real. Austin Barber...
Yahoo Sports
If so, why would they have felt compelled to draft him in round 3? I'm not saying you're gonna be wrong when it's all said and done. I am saying this polarizing prospect pleasantly surprised people during Senior Bowl week. Here's some cut and paste stuff:
Yes, former Florida Gators offensive tackle Austin Barber had a strong 2026 Senior Bowl week, with reports highlighting him as a standout performer in Mobile, Alabama. He displayed exceptional lateral agility, maintained consistent hand placement, and demonstrated versatility by working on both sides of the line. [, 2, 3]Key Takeaways from Barber's Senior Bowl Week:- Performance: He was described as one of the best tackles at the all-star game.
- Skill Set: Evaluators noted his ability to mirror speed rushers, using long arms to stay connected to defender pads.
- Draft Stock: Barber's performance at the Panini Senior Bowl 2026 strengthened his reputation as a high-potential offensive tackle.
- Versatility: He played primarily left tackle but is recognized as having swing tackle potential, with experience at both tackle positions. [, 2, 3]
While other practice reports sometimes noted inconsistencies with his footwork, he was frequently lauded for his mobility and ability to work into the second level. [1, ]-
Austin Barber, OT - Florida | Senior Bowl RisersFeb 7, 2026 — austin Bower i mean excuse me Austin Barber. he's also from Florida uh he was a lot he I thought he was a basketball player when I...3:06YouTube·The Dawgs - A Cleveland Browns Podcast
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2026 Senior Bowl OL Day 3 Practice Notes & TakeawaysJan 30, 2026 — Fluid mover who gets to spots quickly and carries his weight well. Raw, robotic footwork and use of hands led to several short cor...Trench Warfare | Brandon Thorn·Trench Warfare
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Browns 2026 NFL draft: OT Austin Barber interview with DBNApr 29, 2026 — The offensive line could very well be five new players in 2026. The need for quality offensive tackles is very real. Austin Barber...Yahoo Sports
He’s 6’7’’ and if functional strength and leverage inconsistencies are his weakness I don’t think he will play well initially at guard.
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If so, why would they have felt compelled to draft him in round 3? I'm not saying you're gonna be wrong when it's all said and done. I am saying this polarizing prospect pleasantly surprised people during Senior Bowl week. Here's some cut and paste stuff:
Yes, former Florida Gators offensive tackle Austin Barber had a strong 2026 Senior Bowl week, with reports highlighting him as a standout performer in Mobile, Alabama. He displayed exceptional lateral agility, maintained consistent hand placement, and demonstrated versatility by working on both sides of the line. [, 2, 3]Key Takeaways from Barber's Senior Bowl Week:- Performance: He was described as one of the best tackles at the all-star game.
- Skill Set: Evaluators noted his ability to mirror speed rushers, using long arms to stay connected to defender pads.
- Draft Stock: Barber's performance at the Panini Senior Bowl 2026 strengthened his reputation as a high-potential offensive tackle.
- Versatility: He played primarily left tackle but is recognized as having swing tackle potential, with experience at both tackle positions. [, 2, 3]
While other practice reports sometimes noted inconsistencies with his footwork, he was frequently lauded for his mobility and ability to work into the second level. [1, ]-
Austin Barber, OT - Florida | Senior Bowl RisersFeb 7, 2026 — austin Bower i mean excuse me Austin Barber. he's also from Florida uh he was a lot he I thought he was a basketball player when I...3:06YouTube·The Dawgs - A Cleveland Browns Podcast
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2026 Senior Bowl OL Day 3 Practice Notes & TakeawaysJan 30, 2026 — Fluid mover who gets to spots quickly and carries his weight well. Raw, robotic footwork and use of hands led to several short cor...Trench Warfare | Brandon Thorn·Trench Warfare
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Browns 2026 NFL draft: OT Austin Barber interview with DBNApr 29, 2026 — The offensive line could very well be five new players in 2026. The need for quality offensive tackles is very real. Austin Barber...Yahoo Sports
He’s 6’7’’ and if functional strength and leverage inconsistencies are his weakness I don’t think he will play well initially at guard.
He’s 6’7’’ and if functional strength and leverage inconsistencies are his weakness I don’t think he will play well initially at guard.
Yeah, this isn't a more stocky/stout 6'4" rookie like Joel Bitonio was. It seems like this year, more than ever, OTs we're getting busted for short arms. This includes Fano as well; but he was drafted at #9 overall to return to his LT position he played as a Freshman at Utah. My favorite vet we added this off-season was former 1st round pick Tytus Howard (at 6'5" 325 lbs); so he could get kicked back inside for one of our rookie OTs. It's gonna be interesting to see how it all plays out.
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Here's my take of who we'll see playing. Of course, it could be Sanders. And if Brailsford doesn't make the grade things could change along the OL.
WR1 JERRY JEUDY
WR3 KC CONCEPCION
RT TYTUS HOWARD
RG ZION JOHNSON RB QUINSHON JUDKINS
C PARKER BRAILSFORD QB DESHAUN WATSON
LG ELGTON JENKINS RB DYLAN SAMPSON
LT SPENCER FANOTE1 HAROLD FANNIN JR / JACK STOLL / JOE ROYER
WR2 CEDRIC TILLMAN / DENZEL BOSTON
if Brailsford doesn't make the grade things could change along the OL.
Watson or Sanders ?
We'd like to see Wypler & Dawand Jones get to camp with no injury designations? E. Jenkins was a All pro Guard. Let's find a Center
Who's playing TE other than Fannin? H-Back or Fullback ?
Will the number be set at 5 or 6 active WR's ?
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if Brailsford doesn't make the grade things could change along the OL.
Watson or Sanders ?
We'd like to see Wypler & Dawand Jones get to camp with no injury designations? E. Jenkins was a All pro Guard. Let's find a Center
Who's playing TE other than Fannin? H-Back or Fullback ?
Will the number be set at 5 or 6 active WR's ?
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We'll see. As for Bond, I'm not so sure that this regime will value him like the old regime. FWIW, Zac Jackson doesn't think much of him.
Something I've been saying for a few weeks now. I fully expect (barring injury) Bond's role will be decreased as he slides into the KR/PR & gadget player role.
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Officially time to start stirring this pot:
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Quinshon Judkins switches to No. 1 jersey for Browns
Number change confirmed: Judkins will wear No. 1 in 2026, a number he previously wore at Ohio State, after No. 10 was assigned to rookie linebacker Justin Jefferson.
Why it matters: The switch aligns with Judkins’ college identity and became possible after Martin Emerson’s departure freed up the number.
Comeback season ahead: After a rookie season cut short by injury, Judkins is expected to play a major role under new offensive-minded head coach Todd Monken.
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I won't be wasting my time if they roll Watson out as starting QB. It's been about a decade since he's played good football.
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