Cleveland’s rebuild has centered so heavily on the quarterback competition this summer that the broader roster-building work happening around it has occasionally gotten lost in the shuffle. That changed during a recent appearance on First Take, where Louis Riddick took a step back to examine everything Andrew Berry has assembled across this roster.
Riddick explained why he believes Cleveland’s future looks considerably brighter than the current uncertainty at quarterback might indicate.
“I think Andrew Berry, through all the other stuff that he constantly is having to navigate through with Cleveland, he’s done a nice job of compiling a pretty darn good roster. It’s not just the perimeter weaponry when you talk about KC and Denzel. They’ve invested a lot of resources in the offensive line as well. They have some really nice building blocks defensively. With Mason Graham and Jared Verse, you have two really good players on the defensive line. You have one of the best young linebackers in the league. You have really good players in the secondary. If they can get [their quarterback] right, they’re gonna be heard from here in the future because they have some nice, nice things as far as the rest of their roster is concerned.”
"If they can get [their quarterback] right, they're gonna be heard from here in the future."
@LRiddickESPN thinks the Browns are a QB away from contending 👀 pic.twitter.com/Qd2q9gAcwu— First Take (@FirstTake) August 19, 2026
Riddick’s specific praise for the perimeter weaponry lines up with everything that has unfolded throughout training camp regarding KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. Both rookie receivers have generated significant buzz since the earliest days of camp, with Boston recently drawing national recognition as a legitimate breakout candidate and Concepcion already scoring the Browns’ only touchdown during the preseason opener against Chicago.
On the defensive side, Jared Verse has emerged as one of the more disruptive young defenders in football following the trade that sent Myles Garrett to the Rams, while Mason Graham continues building on a promising rookie campaign at defensive tackle. Carson Schwesinger is already one of the best young linebackers in the league. Combined with a secondary anchored by Denzel Ward, Cleveland’s defensive foundation gives this roster real promise.
Regardless of the concerns at quarterback, this young roster gives Browns fans a real reason for optimism about the foundation Berry has quietly built.
NEXT: Browns Get Notable Ranking Among NFL's Best Defensive Lines
