A few months ago, there was a lot of talk about the Cleveland Browns acquiring a quarterback in the upcoming NFL draft. As time has gone by, the rumors about that have died down, although there is still great speculation about the team securing an offensive player.
A lot of people think the Browns won’t target a QB at all, but there is still a chance they will. That’s according to Tony Grossi, who spoke about this with ESPN Cleveland. However, anyone expecting the Browns to nab a QB in the first round will likely be disappointed.
That’s because Grossi thinks any quarterback coming to Cleveland will be selected “much later” in the draft.
“I don’t see them drafting [a QB] early. By that, I mean first and second day. Will they draft one after that? Possibly, why not? Much later. [One] who wouldn’t consider him a threat to be a starting quarterback as a rookie. I can see them adding a guy, but you need a fourth quarterback in training camp. It could be middle or late rounds,” Grossi said.
Will the Browns draft a QB this year or roll with Shedeur Sanders?
FULL EPISODE: https://t.co/OfAyFGGTh1 pic.twitter.com/18xFMVhlM6
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) February 19, 2026
If the Cleveland Browns wait until the later rounds to draft a quarterback, it would be welcome news for Shedeur Sanders and his job security. Using a first-round pick on a quarterback would almost certainly signal a reset at the position. Waiting, however, suggests the team is not ready to move on from him.
That still leaves one of the franchise’s biggest questions unanswered: Who will be the starting quarterback next season? Even if Cleveland selects a developmental QB on Day 2 or Day 3, there is little clarity surrounding the roles of Deshaun Watson and Sanders heading into training camp.
The apparent shift away from aggressively targeting a quarterback early in the draft should give Sanders’ supporters reason for cautious optimism. It indicates the organization may be willing to give him a longer runway in his second season rather than immediately replacing him.
Still, no definitive answer has emerged from Cleveland. Until the Browns publicly commit to a direction — or training camp competition resolves itself — uncertainty will continue to hover over the quarterback position.
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