The Cleveland Browns have two first-round picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, numbers 6 and 24. Because of that fact, numerous draft analysts believe the team could use their capital to trade up or make a savvy deal to move back.
On a recent episode of the NFL Network show The Insiders, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero discussed teams that could trade up into the early part of the first round and mentioned the Cowboys as a strong candidate.
“The Cowboys are my team most likely to trade up. Again, this is not for clickbait,” Rapoport said. “I expect them to be at least in the mix, potentially for coming up for a pass rusher or other top defensive players.”
Right now, Dallas sits at the 12th spot but may move up, especially if a top-flight defender they want is still on the board. During the segment, Rapoport mentioned names such as Sonny Styles, Rueben Bain, and Ahkeem Mesidor as possible targets for the Cowboys.
Should another defensive-needy team threaten to grab one of them, Jerry Jones might just be tempted to make a deal.
Technically, each of the five organizations ahead of the Browns (Raiders, Jets, Cardinals, Titans and Giants) needs defensive help.
However, Las Vegas is expected to take former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, and Arizona needs a QB after Kyler Murray left for Minnesota.
The Browns could stay put and get some much needed offensive line help with both picks, especially since the quarterback position is still very much in the air and protection for said position is crucial.
General Manager Andrew Berry should have plenty of options to consider as Day 1 of the Draft approaches.
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