With the 2026 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, the Cleveland Browns have now provided answers for most of the lingering questions hovering over the organization. Left tackle and wide receiver were addressed in the draft, there is an exciting new coaching staff in town, and there is depth sprinkled throughout the roster, but the one big remaining question is figuring out who the starting quarterback is going to be.
Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are projected to battle it out for QB1 duties, though it sounds like the job is essentially Watson’s to lose at this point, much to the chagrin of The Miz. Because neither one of them has been able to establish themselves as the franchise QB, rumors persist that the Browns are gearing up to go QB hunting in the 2027 draft due to the presence of so many stellar prospects projected to be available.
One big name that will come with a lot of controversy is Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby, who recently entered a rehab facility to deal with a gambling addiction. The situation has left his immediate future in considerable doubt, and he could be headed for the supplemental draft instead where former teammate and current Browns rookie Joe Royer believes he’d make a great pro, as he said in a clip shared by Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
“The film shows the type of player he is. He’s got a big arm, can make any throw out on the field. He’s big. He’s quick. He’s smart. He’s definitely got all the tools that make up a first-round quarterback, for sure,” said Royer.
#Browns 5th rnd TE Joe Royer praises his former #Bearcats teammate QB Brendan Sorsby, who could land in the supplemental draft: pic.twitter.com/0FCSPYy8Gf
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) May 9, 2026
Royer teamed with Sorsby at Cincinnati where he caught 79 passes and seven touchdowns over his last two seasons of work. Sorsby transferred to Tech for this upcoming season, but it’s unclear if he’ll even be able to suit up for them given his current situation.
Since he is under investigation, the supplemental draft this August could be Sorsby’s best bet to get to the next level. It’s not a common path to the league, but the Browns are more familiar with it than most given the fact that Bernie Kosar, Josh Gordon, and Terrelle Pryor made their way to the NFL through the supplemental draft.
The way the supplemental draft works is teams are placed into three buckets, and the draft order of those three buckets of teams is decided through a weighted lottery. The bucket the Browns would be in would be for the teams with six or fewer wins, which would also include the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints, and Arizona Cardinals.
Of that group, the only teams with an obvious need for a young QB besides the Browns would be the Cardinals or Jets, and even that isn’t a sure thing since they each just drafted Carson Beck and Cade Klubnik in the middle rounds of the draft. The Browns could have the best crack at Sorsby if they want him.
As intriguing of a talent as he is, it’s probably best to just wait for the 2027 draft if the team really wants another quarterback. This team needs a sure thing in the worst way and cannot put this fan base through another uncertain tenure with a controversial quarterback who may or may not be the guy.
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