CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns are making sure one of their most productive defensive players stays in town. The team has agreed to a two-year contract extension worth up to $30 million with defensive tackle Maliek Collins, keeping the veteran in Cleveland through the 2028 season.
The agreement includes $23 million in total guarantees, according to Collins' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who confirmed the terms to ESPN and NFL Network on Saturday night.
Collins, 31, was in the final season of the two-year, $20 million contract he signed with Cleveland in March 2025. Rather than allowing him to approach free agency next offseason, the Browns have rewarded his production and secured an important piece of their defensive line.
The veteran has been excellent through Cleveland's first six games, recording 16 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and eight quarterback hits. He has recorded a sack in each of his last three games, helping the Browns establish one of the NFL's most effective pass rushes.
But it hasn't always been easy. Collins was enjoying a career year in 2025, recording a personal-best 6.5 sacks in 12 games before suffering a torn quadriceps against San Francisco on November 30. The injury required surgery and ended his season, raising questions about how quickly he could return to form.
Those concerns haven't lasted long. Collins recovered in time for the start of the 2026 season and has picked up where he left off, providing the Browns with consistent pressure from the interior of their defensive line.
Cleveland head coach Todd Monken praised Collins earlier this week, making it clear how highly the organization values his contributions.
"I voted for him All-Pro last year," Monken said Friday. "I thought he was super disruptive, playing the run and the pass."
Collins has also become an important veteran presence in a defensive line room that includes younger players such as Mason Graham. His experience and leadership have been especially valuable as Cleveland has dealt with injuries along its defensive front.
Originally selected by Dallas in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Collins has also played for the Raiders, Texans, and 49ers during his 11-year career. He joined Cleveland in 2025 and has become a key contributor to a defense that has helped the Browns start the season 4-2.
Cleveland returns to action Sunday afternoon against the Tennessee Titans, looking to improve to 5-2 and build on last week's dramatic victory over Baltimore.
