The Cleveland Browns got 12 games out of defensive tackle Maliek Collins last year before a season-ending injury required surgery. Since then, fans have wondered when he would be back and how productive he’d be.
Writing for Cleveland.com, Mary Kay Cabot gave a promising update about Collins and what’s next for him. According to Cabot, Collins’ recovery is on the right path, and he should be “ready for the season.”
As she pointed out, that is good news for Cleveland because he was the team’s best defensive tackle and “an excellent mentor for younger tackles.”
“[Maliek] Collins, heading into the final year of his two-year, $20 million deal, is back working out at Browns headquarters, and is expected to be ready for the season. If he can pick up where he left off last year, the Browns won’t miss Lawrence this season. He was, in fact, the Browns best defensive tackle in 2025, and an excellent mentor for the younger tackles,” Cabot wrote.
Collins was indeed having arguably his best season last year during his first campaign with the Browns. He recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks and was seen as someone who could help guide young defensive linemen, including the team’s promising rookie, Mason Graham.
If Cabot is right and Collins is in uniform at the start of the new season, he will try to pick up where he left off. Graham has more time under his belt, but Collins will keep trying to push him forward and mentor him.
On top of that, he will also try to find his footing and place in a defensive unit that is without its former coordinator, Jim Schwartz. He could be a crucial part of the defense transitioning to its new leadership.
Collins has been in the league for more than a decade now, having been drafted by the Dallas Cowboys and spending time with the Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, and San Francisco 49ers before coming to Cleveland.
Injury problems plagued the Browns last year, and Collins was one of multiple players who couldn’t make it through the whole season without being sidelined. Perhaps 2026 won’t present as many problems when it comes to injuries.
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