The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation isn’t much clearer than it was a year ago. Shedeur Sanders showed some promise down the stretch in his seven starts. He opened the offense up a lot more than fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel did during his time under center, but in 2026, Deshaun Watson and his $80 million cap hit enter the fray, further muddying the QB picture going forward.
Sanders was exciting in 2025, but he showed a lot of the reasons why he slid to the fifth round of the draft. He didn’t do enough to have his name written in ink as the Week 1 starter in 2026, which is why so many rumors have already been surfacing this offseason about the Browns potentially bringing in another QB in some capacity.
Insider Tom Pelissero shared a notable update on that front, posting that the Browns are currently hosting Alabama prospect Ty Simpson for a visit. With the sixth and 24th picks in the 2026 draft, Simpson could certainly be an option if the Browns want more competition for Sanders and Watson.
“Former Alabama QB Ty Simpson is on a visit with the Browns, per sources. The consensus QB2 in this year’s NFL Draft, Simpson is coming off a strong showing at the NFL combine. Cleveland owns the No. 6 and 24 picks,” Pelissero wrote.
Former Alabama QB Ty Simpson is on a visit with the Browns, per sources.
The consensus QB2 in this year’s NFL Draft, Simpson is coming off a strong showing at the NFL combine. Cleveland owns the No. 6 and 24 picks. pic.twitter.com/fD21j1WSr6
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 5, 2026
It’s not a surprise that the Browns have an eye on Simpson, who will almost surely be the second quarterback off the board in April after projected first overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Simpson had an impressive combine, and while the sixth pick may be a bit high for him, it’s becoming tough to envision him lasting until No. 24.
The Browns’ plans at the position seem to be changing every day depending on who you listen to, but it’s only March and it’s way too early to speculate too much. However, the reality is that if the team wants to bring in another QB, the draft is the best place to do it because the Browns are over the cap and will have a hard time signing anybody as long as Watson is on the roster.
If Simpson is the pick, he isn’t coming in just to serve as competition. You don’t draft a first-round quarterback unless you’re convinced he can be the franchise guy, and for a team that has struggled to find that guy for decades, the hope is that the Browns find that guy very, very soon.
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