Five Reasons Why Cleveland Browns Shouldn’t Trade Back in the 2026 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns hold one of the most interesting picks in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

If the list of so-called can’t-miss, blue chip prospects is around five or six names long -- not including presumptive first overall pick Fernando Mendoza who might already be house hunting in Las Vegas -- then the Browns sixth overall pick could become an extremely coveted asset by a team looking to jump up for one of those aforementioned prospects. The returns on selling said pick could be sizable.

So, would Cleveland be better off auctioning off that selection for a ton of future draft capital? A definitive answer greatly depends on how far back you’re dropping, what compensation looks like, and what players you’re taking off your board automatically by trading down.

Having said that, here are five reasons why the Cleveland Browns should not trade down in the first round of the NFL draft:

The Browns Need As Much Top-Tier Talent As They Can Get Their Hands On

Take one look at the Browns’ current roster and you'll find that the two best players on the team were Top-5 picks. Myles Garrett was picked up first overall in 2017 and Denzel Ward was added fourth overall the year after.

When you have a chance to be in that range, you have to swing for the fences. Go get the guy who has a chance to be a franchise-defining player. Don't wait/pray for him to fall. Sure, there might be several outstanding pros selected outside the Top-10, and even after the first round, but you have a chance to grab those later. Go get the blue-chip talent, and if it fails, try again next year. There’s a reason why these prospects carry such labels, and why there are so few each year.

Cleveland Can’t Risk Settling on a Second or Third Option

Teams will routinely say after the fact that they had X and Y players rated equally, so they were fine picking either one. In reality, I highly doubt it. Getting your choice of prospects at any given position versus selecting from a reduced pool of players still available can make all the difference.

Of course, you still have to step up and call out the right name, choose the right prospects.

So many times, only one or two players at the top of each position ranking end up panning out. So, go get the top guy available at any position.

Fans Need To Get Excited About Something

Cleveland is set to play just three more years at their current home, Huntington Bank Field, before moving into their new digs at Brooks Park. Since the franchise came back into existence in 1999, the Browns have played 27 seasons at this stadium, making the playoffs just three times. No postseason game has ever been played on this home turf.

Cleveland can’t insist on selling the future to Browns’ fans. You need to give them something now. Go grab a top-end prospect and make it work.

Past Experiences With Multiple First-Round Draft Picks Have Usually Been Negative

Since 1999, the Browns have held multiple first-round picks six times. The only true win came in 2017, picking up Garrett, Jabrill Peppers and David Njoku. 2018 looked promising, with Baker Mayfield and Ward, but didn't pan out. 2007 was half good, with Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn. No one wants to remember 2012, 2014 or 2015.

Multiple first round picks for the sake of them don’t guarantee success. Cleveland gets to pick twice in the opening round this year. Go get a couple of studs, and stop thinking about a multiple-pick 2027 first round.

General Manager Andrew Berry Might Already Be on Borrowed Time

Berry came back as the team’s GM in 2020, hand in hand with Kevin Stefanski. When Stefanski was fired, many thought Berry would be too, but he was spared by Browns’ owner Jimmy Haslam, who underscored the executive’s role in last year’s hit draft and the trade that netted Cleveland Tyson Campbell.

However, Haslam conveniently failed to mention Gabriel Dillon as part of last year’s haul, or the trade for Cam Robinson, or Berry’s role in the Deshaun Watson trade.

Sure, Campbell turned out to be a great trade for Cleveland, but the player he was swapped for, Greg Newsome II, was also a Berry pick. Over the last six drafts, Berry has selected only two Pro Bowlers: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in 2020, and Shedeur Sanders -- inexplicably -- last year. Berry can’t afford to underuse whatever draft capital he has at his disposal in order to build a winner, since it might be his last chance calling the shots in Cleveland.