Many people are wondering about the Cleveland Browns’ short-term plans, but there are also serious questions regarding where they are going in the years ahead. Fans would feel much more confident about this team if they knew the direction it was headed.
Writing for Sports Illustrated, Albert Breer talked about the Browns’ long-term plans, and he believes the team’s 2027 quarterback might not even be on the roster yet.
Additionally, the future of this squad may rest on the growth of young players like Carson Schwesinger, Mason Graham, Harold Fannin Jr., and others.
“When it comes to the Browns, there’s been lots of focus on Shedeur Sanders vs. Deshaun Watson. I get it. But I think there’s a good chance the quarterback for 2027 isn’t on the roster yet, and that the long-term fate of the current regime rides more on the development of the core from after the Travis Hunter trade—with the progress from Carson Schwesinger, Mason Graham, Harold Fannin Jr., Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, KC Concepcion, Spencer Fano, Denzel Boston and Austin Barber crucial to that,” Breer wrote.
There is no doubt that up-and-comers like Schwesinger, Graham, Fannin, and others could be pivotal parts of this team for years to come. They have already shown amazing progress after just one year. Schwesinger was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, while Graham and Fannin showed impressive development. There is great excitement about how much more they can do in their second year.
The Browns would be wise to stay focused on this core group of players, while also nurturing and leading newcomers such as Spencer Fano, KC Concepcion, and more. But Cleveland has to address the other point made by Breer: they need to figure out who their QB will be.
Right now, all eyes are on the competition for the starting quarterback in 2026, but what happens after that? Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are reportedly in the running to be QB1, but there is a chance that neither of them is on the team in 2027. The Browns may be quietly plotting a future that points the team in a completely different direction.
The quarterback situation definitely needs to be resolved, but they also need to put a lot of energy into helping Schwesinger and others grow and continue to deliver because they truly can be the future of the franchise.
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