Some NFL executives believe the Cleveland Browns could punt on the 2025 season in an attempt to land Texas Longhorns star Arch Manning.
The Browns have a big decision to make later this month. The franchise owns the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and has a clear need for a franchise quarterback. It would seem like a no-brainer for them to use the pick on either Miami’s Cam Ward or — more likely — Colorado star Shedeur Sanders.
Unfortunately, both are talented but flawed players. It has created a narrative that Cleveland will take the best player available with their pick instead. But it still leaves a very messy situation at quarterback. At this point, either failed Steelers starter Kenny Pickett or oft-injured former star Deshaun Watson will be their starter in 2025.
That, mixed with not bringing in an impact veteran this offseason, may be why some NFL execs think the team is looking at 2026 to find a potential franchise QB.
Is Arch Manning the real QB goal for the Cleveland Browns?
“It’s such a weak quarterback draft and free-agency class at the position. Is there a temptation to suck for Arch Manning?” an NFL executive told The Athletic NFL insider Mike Sando Wednesday.
When asked about the idea of trading for four-time Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins, another exec claimed that despite head coach Kevin Stefansi’s knowledge of the veteran quarterback, they didn’t “see them going with another guy who is older and injured.” Cousins looked like a shell of himself for the Falcons in 2024 after suffering a ruptured Achilles in 2023.
However, the decision-makers did explain some of the big concerns of passing on a QB in this year’s draft to take the highly touted nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning.
“If I’m Cleveland, and I don’t love Shedeur at pick No. 2, I have a two-time Coach of the Year, a GM that got a second contract, so could that regime possibly survive a worst-team-in-the-league season to get Arch Manning next year?” the exec that suggested “sucking” for Manning said.
“You are not guaranteed Arch Manning is going to come out, or that he will agree to go to Cleveland, so my guess is, they draft a quarterback this year,” another exec claimed. “If you were tanking, I don’t know why you would give Myles Garrett all that money.”
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