The Browns have now signed their full 2026 draft class to rookie deal. First-round receiver KC Concepcion has put pen to paper on his first skilled contract, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Concepcion, 21, was the No. 24 pick in April’s draft. He is about to earn just over $20MM in fully guaranteed money across the following 4 years, including a signing bonus value roughly $11MM, per OverTheCap.
All first-rounders have fully guaranteed contracts with values which are set by the CBA’s rookie pay scale. That leaves less to be negotiated between player and team, though payment schedules have change into a standard battleground. The Browns got here to terms with Spencer Fano, their other first-round pick, and the remaining of their draft class far quicker than with Concepcion, indicating there have been a couple of sticking points in his deal.
Now, all 10 of the Browns’ 2026 draft picks are under contract for the following 4 years, including Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston, who went within the second round, 15 picks after Concepcion Boston was viewed as a possible first-round talent by some, as was Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who Cleveland traded as much as snag at No. 58 overall.
That core quartet represents a second strong draft in a row for Browns general Andrew Berry. Last 12 months’s No. 5 pick, Mason Graham, didn’t flash as a rookie but still profiles as a long-term anchor for the line of defense. Second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger was named Defensive Rookie of the Yr, and fellow Day 2 picks Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin each carved out clear roles within the offense moving forward. If either Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders can evolve into a reliable starter – or the team finally lands their long-awaited franchise QB within the 2027 draft – the Browns would appear to have all of the pieces to finally move back into playoff contention in the following few years.