When asked earlier in his Tuesday media conference with reporters in Indianapolis ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine, Berry noted that it’s only late February and he and new head coach Todd Monken have plenty of time to get things in order before on-field activities begin. In fact, quarterback shouldn’t be his biggest concern right now, as there are other areas that certainly need attention as we approach March.
If Joel Bitonio decides to call it quits, Cleveland’s offensive line could lose as many as four of its five starters from last season, leaving only tackle Dawand Jones — who wasn’t great before suffering a season-ending injury in 2025 — as their only starter. Berry will first need to rebuild the blocking unit before considering what could develop behind the front five.
The Browns also need reinforcements at receiver, and with David Njoku expected to leave in free agency, they could use a new tight end to pair with rookie Harold Fannin Jr. in 2026.
However, because it is the most important position in football and because a polarizing figure in Sanders is in contention for the starting job, eyes will continue to be trained on the quarterback position in Cleveland.
If Sanders is going to build on the positives he showed during his rookie season, he needs to do well before training camp.
“I think the biggest thing we want to see from Shedeur is just continued growth,” Berry said. “I think he’s grown a lot from start 1 to start 7. For sure, playing more efficiently, not putting the ball in harm’s way as much while also being able to produce from build-up and create explosiveness will make a big difference.”
“You won’t see all of that in the coming months because we’re not on the field. So the biggest thing for him to do is learn the new offense, get on the coaching staff when our offseason starts, continue to work on his body physically and then make strides when we actually get on the field.”
If Sanders can make significant progress, he could claim the job as his own this summer. But if Watson is going to salvage the rest of his NFL career, things could get interesting in Cleveland — and it sounds like the Browns are open to any outcome.