There is some buzz in the building for the Cleveland Browns in 2026 even though the quarterback situation leaves so much to be desired. The first preseason game definitely threw a wet blanket on the fire a bit, but there is something building in Cleveland right now as young talent is emerging all over the place on both sides of the ball.
Hopefully the Browns look a bit better in Saturday’s matchup with the Buffalo Bills, where Shedeur Sanders will get the start at QB, though many other starters won’t be out there alongside him. Deshaun Watson will likely be named the starting quarterback not long afterwards to officially set the stage for what one analyst believes could be a fairly rough season.
During a recent episode of Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, Adam Gerstenhaber discussed what he believes to be the best-case scenario for the Browns in 2026. He thinks the best outcome for them in the long term is to be the worst team in the NFL and get the first pick in the draft.
“The best-case scenario for the Browns is to be the worst team in football. That is the best-case scenario, to get the first pick in the draft. You don’t want to go 0-17, which they won’t, obviously. I don’t even know if they’ll be the worst team in football. They have no depth. They have no quarterback,” Gerstenhaber said.
“The best-case scenario for the #Browns is to be the worst team in football.” 😳@AdamTheBull says despite the young talent, Cleveland has a lot of issues to figure out — including at QB. 👀🟠🟤https://t.co/iPxPPQARLM pic.twitter.com/W6yPeBKosy
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) August 19, 2026
From an outside perspective, it’s easy to see why the Browns could be the worst team in football. The quarterback competition is between two unexciting options. There is an entirely new coaching staff and offensive line in town. Myles Garrett was traded. Two of the top three receivers are rookies. The starting running back is coming off a brutal lower leg injury.
It makes sense, but for those covering the team, it’s easier to see the positive developments and reasons for optimism. Unfortunately, the quarterback situation could be bad enough to trump any of those positive developments because if Watson and/or Sanders don’t produce, this train could go off the rails quickly.
One thing the Browns have going for them is the fact that the schedule isn’t that tough. Being worse than the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, and New York Jets would be tough to pull off, but it’s becoming clear that the most important thing in this organization right now is to find that franchise QB in next year’s draft and nothing can get in the way of that.
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