The Cleveland Browns lost another game in Week 15. Judging by their remaining schedule, they might not win another one this season.
If anything, it gets them closer to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Browns’ defense has been solid for the most part. They clearly have most of the pieces they need, and coordinator Jim Schwartz has that unit ready to play more often than not. With that in mind, Bleacher Report’s NFL Draft Scouting Department has the Browns linked to three promising prospects on the other side of the ball.
They have Cleveland selecting a quarterback, either Fernando Mendoza or Ty Simpson, and/or wide receiver Carnell Tate.
“The Browns rank dead last in EPA per pass. That’s how you remain in the running for the No. 1 overall pick while fielding an elite defense. Doing something to fix the passing game is going to be paramount this offseason. Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson and Dante Moore are the top three quarterbacks in the class and they’ll all have the opportunity to improve their stock. However, the team is also reportedly planning on keeping Deshaun Watson and they already have Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Carnell Tate could slot in as WR1 for the Browns moving forward,” Bleacher Report wrote.
The Browns will give Shedeur Sanders three more starts to show if he can be their QB of the future. That would obviously change their approach to the 2026 draft, as they could use their two first-round selections to bolster the offensive line and give Sanders a legitimate top wideout like Tate. But if that’s not the case, or if they fall in love with one of the quarterback prospects, it will be tough to convince them not to take one near the top of the board.
They could package both of those selections to move up, although that might not be necessary, depending on their positioning.
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