The Cleveland Browns could be planning a major draft-day shakeup. According to insider Mary Kay Cabot, the team may repeat its successful 2025 strategy. This involves trading down to acquire more valuable picks.

"The Browns will explore opportunities to trade down from No. 6 in hopes of finding a blockbuster deal like last year. ....The Browns are admittedly in rebuilding mode and can use all the high picks they can get. If they choose as wisely at No. 24 this year, or use the pick as trade currency, they’ll be in great shape with the young core of the team."

Talking about the Cleveland Browns heading into the 2026 NFL Combine, she added, "They’ll use some of their time at the combine discussing possible trade options for one or both of their first-round picks." A big reason behind this is that it worked out very well in the 2025 NFL Draft.

In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Browns originally held the No. 2 overall pick. They traded it down to the Jacksonville Jaguars. In return, they got the No. 5 overall pick (first round), the No. 36 overall pick (second round), and the No. 126 overall pick (fourth round). Plus, a 2026 first-round pick.

They drafted Mason Graham at number 5. He ended up having 28 solo tackles, 21 assists, and 0.5 sacks in 17 games in 2025. And then they drafted Oklahoma State RB Quinshon Judkins and Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson as No. 36 and No. 126 overall, respectively.

Sampson had 65 carries for 175 yards and scored 2 touchdowns in 15 games. And Judkins recorded 230 carries for 827 yards and 7 touchdowns in 14 games. He had the 3rd highest rushing yards and 4th highest numbers of touchdowns by a rookie running back in 2025.

And that 2025 Trade Can Help the Cleveland Browns Solve the QB Problem in the 2026 NFL Draft

The 2026 first-round pick Cleveland received in the trade with Jacksonville did end up as the 24th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Cabot said in her report that the Browns can use that to solve their uncertainty over the team's quarterback.

"The Browns made the trade thinking they might be able to use that second first-rounder to help them find their quarterback of the future. But that QB may or may not exist in this draft. The second-best quarterback in the class is Alabama’s Ty Simpson, whom the Browns will consider at No. 6, No. 24 and No. 39."

Simpson is a developmental prospect. In his redshirt junior season, he totaled 3,567 passing yards with 28 touchdowns. Do you think he will be a good choice?

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Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar