Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry hosted his annual press conference at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Ahead of his seventh year with the Browns, Berry was peppered with questions about the ongoing quarterback search as well as rebuilding the offensive line and wide receiver position groups.<\/p>\n
Berry answered questions about the future of his roster and gave fans a glimpse into what they can expect from the Browns this offseason.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Here are a few major takeaways from his press conference.<\/p>\n
1. The Browns will double down on youth<\/p>\n
After his opening remarks, Berry was asked about balancing a young roster while winning enough games to keep this staff employed moving into 2027.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the biggest misconceptions is that youth equals lack of performance,\u201d Berry said. \u201cTwo of the three youngest teams this year were Philadelphia and Green Bay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Berry acknowledged that while there\u2019s an adjustment period for young players, they\u2019ll also have high expectations for youthful players that come into Berea by starting as role players and ascending into starters. Berry found tremendous success selecting young players including Mason Graham, Quinshon Judkins, Harold Fannin Jr. and Carson Schwesinger in last\u00a0 year\u2019s class. Expect him to deploy that same strategy<\/a> in April.<\/p>\n 2. Fixing the offensive line is paramount<\/p>\n The offensive line was discussed significantly more than the wide receiver position group. That\u2019s likely because all five Browns starters are expected to hit free agency.<\/p>\n According to Berry, the offensive line can be turned around quickly. He noted that the Chicago Bears were able to surround young quarterback Caleb Williams with much better protection in just one offseason.<\/p>\n Really fascinating perspective from Browns GM Andrew Berry on how you can fix an offensive line in one offseason:<\/p>\n \u201cA combination of internal development, veteran additions and the draft.\u201d<\/p>\n Points out that the Chicago Bears did it last year \u2b07\ufe0fpic.twitter.com\/7KIzegcKhA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) February 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThinking about the offensive line, I think what Chicago and Ryan Poles did last year is a really good model,\u201d Berry said about how the Bears were able to rebuild their line. \u201cThey did a combination of internal development, veteran additions and draft.\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Still no answer on the quarterbacks \u2013 or is there?<\/p>\n Perhaps new head coach Todd Monken<\/a> will shed some light on what the Browns are planning to do at quarterback this season at his availability on Wednesday. While Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson feel like the most likely outcomes to start Week 1, Berry didn\u2019t commit to either quarterback.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have to make that decision any time soon,\u201d Berry said. \u201cAny player that we have in that room we would expect to compete to earn a role. Those two would be no different.\u201d<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s four-man quarterback competition was a debacle that resulted in just five wins and head coach Kevin Stefanski being relieved of his duties. Unfortunately, there\u2019s no clear path for the Browns to solve their biggest issue.<\/p>\n Many have linked the Browns<\/a> to Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis, who will enter free agency in March. Berry said that the Browns are hoping to be more aggressive in free agency than they have been in the recent past, but they\u2019re another offseason away from being hyper-aggressive.<\/p>\n Even with Sanders and third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel both getting starts last season, Berry wouldn\u2019t rule out drafting another rookie quarterback.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see a problem with that,\u201d Berry said. \u201cIt\u2019s the most important position.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. First-round picks are already for sale<\/p>\n There\u2019s not too much reading between the lines that needs to be done here.<\/p>\n Berry came out and admitted that the Browns would \u201cabsolutely\u201d entertain trade offers for the No. 6 overall selection. While the sixth pick might not be as valuable as last year\u2019s No. 2 overall choice, Berry could be coaxed into a trade down \u2013 especially if it means an extra 2027 selection.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re at maybe a little bit of a different position in a little bit of a different class,\u201d Berry said.<\/p>\n 5. Always be prepared for surprises<\/p>\n One year ago, nobody projected Sanders to be a fifth-round selection. Surprises are part of what makes the NFL Draft fun.\u00a0<\/p>\n But Berry is preaching that the Browns need to be flexible and adaptable.<\/p>\n Will the Browns prioritize wide receiver or offensive line in the NFL Draft? <\/p>\n \u201cThe draft is really for highest sustainable impact. A year ago at this time, I wouldn\u2019t have guessed the draft would play out positionally how it did.\u201d <\/p>\n -Browns GM Andrew Berry pic.twitter.com\/3ThztQ0LXS<\/a><\/p>\n