Shedeur Sanders’ future in Cleveland questioned as Browns target offensive line in 2026 draft

As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, the Cleveland Browns find themselves navigating a complex offseason.

With two first-round picks — No. 6 and No. 24 — thanks to their trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland has the opportunity to address multiple roster needs.

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But as NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah notes, the Browns’ most pressing concerns lie on the offensive side of the ball.

“They don’t have an offensive line, so you have to find guys to run out there,” Jeremiah said during his annual press conference ahead of the Scouting Combine.

“So that’s where we will see what they can accomplish in free agency, but they’ve got to have a heavy investment there. I think there’s two offensive tackles that are in that range up there with [Miami’s] Francis Mauigoa, and [Utah’s] Spencer Fano, but there’s also opportunities for them if they wanted to wait, they could get one at 24.

“I propose the idea of doing both, of just getting your two tackles there and not really relying on Dawand Jones to stay healthy going forward. And if somehow he surprised you and stays healthy and play at some crazy elite level and you wanted to kick one of the other two guys inside, you could do that. But yeah, to me the offensive line is a place I would be looking.”

Jeremiah highlighted the possibility of pairing a top tackle like Mauigoa with a strong interior lineman such as Penn State’s Vega Ioane, suggesting that maneuvering in the draft could provide the Browns with “two really, really dominant, potentially two dominant players for that offensive line.”

He also sees depth beyond the top two tackles, mentioning Monroe Freeling and Blake Miller as prospects close in talent to the elite tier.

While the offensive line is the clear focus, Cleveland’s quarterback room also remains a topic of discussion.

The Browns return Shedeur Sanders, along with Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel, but with questions lingering about roster depth and development, the team could explore quarterback options in the draft.

Jeremiah pointed to a next tier of quarterbacks that could be considered, including Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier, and Carson Beck.

“That next group of guys you’re talking about, it’s three guys for me, which is Allar, Nussmeier, Carson Beck,” Jeremiah said.

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“Allar and Beck, kind of like pure pocket, big guys. Movement’s not going to be a huge part of what they do. I mean, they can move around a little bit, but that’s not really what they do.

“Garrett Nussmeier, a little undersized. He’s not an elite athlete either, but kind of reminded me of an Andy Dalton-style player with a compact delivery.

“He’s decisive. He’s got enough arm, he doesn’t need a ton of foot space. He’s going to be able to direct traffic and set fronts and set protections and those things. A son of a coach, he’s going to be really solid in that area.”

While Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning Fernando Mendoza is widely regarded as the No. 1 overall pick, Jeremiah notes that Alabama’s Ty Simpson has shown flashes but also some inconsistency due to injuries and offensive struggles, making teams cautious about selecting him early.

For Sanders, a second-year quarterback who impressed at times during his rookie season, the presence of top quarterback prospects in the draft underscores the Browns’ potential options and the uncertainty around the franchise’s long-term plan under center.

As Jeremiah notes, evaluating quarterbacks requires seeing them develop over multiple years.

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“The more you can see of a player, the more comfortable you’re going to be with who he is and the more confident you’ll be in your evaluation,” he said.

With the draft approaching in a few months, the Browns face a delicate balancing act: fortifying the offensive line while determining how Sanders and the rest of the quarterback room fit into their 2026 plans.

Jeremiah’s insights suggest that while the offensive line will likely dominate early draft discussions, quarterback decisions could still be influenced by the availability of promising prospects later in the draft.

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