Colin Cowherd Suggests Browns Could Be After Exciting New Coach QB Combo

Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski is working hard to identify a starting quarterback for this upcoming season, but Colin Cowherd suggests it's a lost cause.

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski watches quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) participate in drills during day two of NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility May 10, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns are busy at work, trying to find their starting quarterback and a new identity for this team in training camp. The primary storyline has revolved around the QB1 spot, but this roster has a variety of different holes for Head Coach Kevin Stefanski and his staff to try to patch.

Outside of the defense, specifically the front seven, there aren't many other sure things on this roster. No matter who ends up starting under center come Week 1, Cleveland will have to find some reliable weapons to help take pressure off the quarterback aside from Jerry Jeudy.

With a loaded incoming quarterback class and the Browns expected to have another losing season, there's a strong chance that the QB1 for this upcoming campaign would be a temporary gig anyway. According to FS1's Colin Cowherd, though, not only is Cleveland's starting quarterback in danger of being replaced, but so is the head coach who will make the decision:

"[Nick] Saban is incredibly close to not only Jimmy Haslam, but Saban's close to the Manning family as well... If he could land, I'm told, a top quarterback like [Jim] Harbaugh going to the Chargers for [Justin] Herbert, he would take a phone call for the NFL. And there are two teams guaranteed to be awful this year in the NFL: Cleveland and the Saints... Haslam's circle of trust, according to an article in The Atlantic last year, is the Manning family, Jimmy Sexton, and Bill Parcells. Sexton is Nick Saban's agent... This story is a poorly kept secret: The Mannings, Haslam, Jimmy Sexton, Nick Saban."

Cowherd is suggesting that Cleveland's owner, Jimmy Haslam, isn't just looking for a new quarterback or a new coach next year, he's looking to replace both in a two-for-one move: drafting Texas Longhorns elite QB prospect Arch Manning in order to get legendary coach Nick Saban on board.

Colin Cowherd has heard that the Browns and Jimmy Haslam are eyeing both Arch Manning and Nick Saban 👀👀👀pic.twitter.com/MZUEgXIlE9

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 23, 2025

That makes it all the more imperative that current Browns coach Kevin Stefanski picks the right player to be his QB1 for the 2025 NFL season. To save both of their jobs, whoever Stefanski picks as the starting quarterback might have to prove that he can be a franchise player this year.