Cleveland Browns realistic QB option declared for 2026 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns rallied together to win the final two games of the season. The end result? Head coach Kevin Stefanski was fired anyway and the team now owns the No. 6 pick instead of being as high as No. 2 overall.

To be fair, the top quarterback may have been out of reach anyway. The Las Vegas Raiders own the No. 1 overall pick and it would be a shock if they did not select Fernando Mendoza, barring some shocking collapse in Friday's Peach Bowl. The Raiders may have already turned their draft card in, not caring about how Mendoza looks this week.

The problem with dropping down to No. 6 is that it may take the Browns out of the running for the No. 2 quarterback in the class as well. Right now, that is Oregon's Dante Moore. He is set to go head-to-head with Mendoza on Friday in a game that could determine just how early both quarterbacks go in the draft.

Realistically, the Browns are unlikely to get Mendoza or Moore at No. 6 overall. They do have an extra first-round pick to trade, but teams like the Raiders, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals are desperate for quarterback help and all pick ahead of the Browns. This is assuming the Cardinals move on from Kyler Murray, who is another option for the Browns.

Back to the draft, this leaves the Browns looking at the third man in the class. Plenty can change in the next few months, however, Alabama's Ty Simpson seems to be another potential first-round pick. He just declared for the draft Wednesday.

Sources: Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is turning pro. He just informed the Alabama coaches of his decision.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 7, 2026

Simpson is not a surefire top-10 pick, but he could be an option with the pick coming over from the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns could also trade up with that pick to grab him after taking another position at No. 6 overall.

Simpson was a one-year starter and finished with 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2025. He is also listed at 6-foot-2, which many Browns fans care about.

Him declaring for the draft puts the Browns in another tricky position. Should they take a quarterback who isn't the top overall prospect? This has been a habit by the Browns, outside of Baker Mayfield, and the results have not been promising.

The first order of business will be getting a head coach in place. Landing someone like John Harbaugh could change the overall timeline and garner interest from players who otherwise wouldn't want to come to Cleveland. Meanwhile, Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson will likely both be around as well.

Getting the coach in place allows the Browns to establish a clear philosophy. From there, they can all get to work evaluating quarterbacks, with Simpson as one of the top names to keep an eye on.