Browns Insider Suggests Nightmare Scenario for Cleveland

The Cleveland Browns surprised a lot of people in the 2025 NFL Draft. They first dropped jaws when they traded with the Jacksonville Jaguars, moving down from two to the fifth-overall pick and acquiring an additional third-rounder and the Jags' 2026 first in return. While some detractors were still peeved by the Browns' decision to pass up on Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter Jr. at that spot, many lauded Cleveland for adding some invaluable draft capital for their rebuild.

However, that goodwill didn't last very long for this team. Shortly after, they decided to take two different quarterbacks in the draft: Oregon's Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders with the 144th-overall selection.

That questionable choice was only further scrutinized when rumors came out that the Browns are still interested in taking a quarterback in the 2026 class. Next year's draft offers a handful of promising gunslingers, such as South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers, but picking another QB would make it seem like Cleveland wasted two selections on Gabriel and Sanders.

LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina Gamecocks, Virginia Tech Hokies, NCAA Football — Aug 31, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) runs on the sideline against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Would the Browns burn three first-round picks for a quarterback?

As if taking three different rookie quarterbacks in two years isn't already bad enough, there's a chance that the Cleveland Browns could waste the extra first-round pick they got from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2026 to grab another passer. If neither Cleveland nor Jacksonville lands the first-overall selection, which is definitely a possibility, the Browns could use their two firsts to trade up to ensure that they get the QB they value most.

That would already be a hefty price to pay, especially with Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders already on the roster. ESPN's Tony Grossi suggests that they could do something even more drastic in the 2026 NFL Draft. Responding to Tony Rizzo's hypothetical scenario he outlined in which the Browns end up getting the 15th and 21st picks, Grossi had this to say:

"I am willing to give up the 2027 number one in order to do it."

Rizzo was exasperated at the answer, "WOAH, WOAH. Three number ones for [Clemson quarterback] Cade Klubnik?"

.@TonyGrossi says he's willing to trade the Browns two 2026 1st round picks and a 2027 1st round pick to move up for a rookie QB in the 2026 NFL Draft 😯

Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/xgEV9zR9Tp
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) September 3, 2025

To be fair, Grossi's top quarterback in 2026 right now is LaNorris Sellers, who has looked much more like a game-changing talent than Klubnik. Still, for a team with so many holes still on the roster, giving up three first-rounders doesn't feel like a very shrewd move, especially considering that a rookie quarterback could lead them to a bottom finish and gift away the first-overall pick in 2027 that Grossi views as expendable.