The Cleveland Browns undoubtedly would like to emerge from this offseason with at least one new offensive tackle, and perhaps two or more. Whether they do so by signing a free agent, making a trade, or using a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft remains to be seen.
Free agency comes first, with the market opening next month, so that will likely determine the course of action going forward. The Browns have been linked to one specific free agent offensive tackle since the moment this season ended.
Analyst Alex Ballentine has named Green Bay Packers lineman Rasheed Walker as the “perfect” free agent signing for the Browns.
“Cleveland Browns: OT Rasheed Walker,” Ballentine wrote. “The Browns have a lot of high-leverage questions to answer on offense. The quarterback, the receiver group and the offensive line all need to be upgraded. The running back room is, arguably, the only thing that is really solid at this point. Finding a long-term left tackle would be a huge checklist item to mark off. The Browns don’t have a ton of cap space now, but the Deshaun Watson contract only has void years remaining after 2026. They could use that future flexibility to grab Walker. The Packers tackle was 11th in pass block win rate among tackles this season.”
Walker is ranked No. 13 by The Athletic on its list of the top 150 available free agents, and he is the top-rated tackle, which means many teams will be competing to sign him, which will, in turn, drive up his price. That could put him out of reach for the Browns, based on their salary cap situation.
The Browns may also want to spread their available money around, as they are facing the very real possibility that they will have to rebuild their entire offensive line. They could make history as the first NFL team since 1970 to lose all of their previous season’s top starters as free agents in the same offseason.
Wyatt Teller has already said he will not be back, and Joel Bitonio, Cam Robinson, Ethan Pocic, and Jack Conklin could follow him out the door. Only Dawand Jones will remain, but he has suffered a season-ending injury in each of the past three years.
Jones is on track to return from his latest surgery, but the Browns would still need someone to play either right or left tackle. They could find that someone in the draft, with Spencer Fano mentioned as a strong possibility at No. 6 overall, and Monroe Freeling seen as a potential choice at No. 24.
One thing is certain, and that is the Browns will have at least one new offensive tackle on the roster in 2026.
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