The Cleveland Browns are poised for another strong NFL draft class in 2026 with 10 picks currently at their disposal, including four selections inside the top 70.
Two of the Browns’ picks fall in Round 1, their own at No. 4 and the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ at No. 28, though both are subject to change over the final three weeks of the season. According to ESPN analytics, Cleveland will pick in the top-10 no matter what. The team is also the second most likely recipient of the No. 1 overall choice next April.
If the Browns hold a high enough pick to acquire one of the top two quarterbacks in the 2026 class — Fernando Mendoza of Indiana or Dante Moore of Oregon — then the team won’t need to utilize the Jags’ pick to move up the board. In that scenario, Cleveland could spend that late first-rounder to address its dire need for a true No. 1 wide receiver to play alongside either the rookie they select next spring and/or current starting QB Shedeur Sanders.
It might be difficult for the Browns to find a top-flight wideout at the back end of Round 1. However, they could package Jacksonville’s pick along with one of its three fifth-round selections (Nos. 140, 145 and 147) to deal for disgruntled star AJ Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN pegged Brown’s trade value at a first-round pick back in July, while Barnwell’s colleague Jeremy Fowler reported on Wednesday, December 17 that both Brown and the Eagles will probably be open to a change this offseason.
“Several executives I spoke to believe the Eagles could look to move Brown, who is 28 and still has prime years left,” Fowler wrote. “And it seems that Brown would welcome a new passing game at this point.”
AJ Brown Could Pave Path for Shedeur Sanders, New Rookie QB in 2026
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown.
Brown has amassed 510 receptions, nearly 7,900 receiving yards and 56 TD grabs across 103 regular season games over the course of his seven-year career.
He has been annoyed with the direction of Philadelphia’s offense in 2025 and has not been shy about stating that publicly. Even still, in a down year that has openly frustrated the superstar wideout, Brown has tallied 64 catches for 840 yards and seven scores. He is on track for the sixth 1,000-yard campaign of his career.
Brown is a three-time Pro Bowler and a three time All-Pro, earning second-team All-Pro honors in each of the past three campaigns. He recently inked a three-year extension worth $96 million in total that keeps him under contract through 2029, which would set him up to serve as the primary wideout in the Cleveland offense for the remainder of Sanders’ deal or the entirety of a 2026 rookie QB’s contract.
Browns’ Offensive Line in Terrible Shape Heading Into Offseason
GettyOffensive guard Joel Bitonio of the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland is a mess on the offensive line, which is a situation that could further deteriorate as perennial Pro Bowl guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio are both free agents next season. They are also each on the wrong side of 30, so even if one — or both — return in 2026, there is liable to be a drop off.
Center Ethan Pocic tore his Achilles tendon in Week 14, which could mean he misses the entirety of next season. And the offensive tackle spots might be the worst element of the entire unit, with an aging and injury-prone Jack Conklin on the right side and no real answer at left tackle on the roster.
The state of the O-line lends credence to the notion that Cleveland ought to use its second first-round pick to add the best available talent to that unit.
But the Browns will have seven other selections to address its offensive line deficiencies should they trade a first and a fifth to Philadelphia for Brown. Also, by adding a QB and Brown via its Day 1 assets, Cleveland could clear the way to use the rest of its draft picks to focus on building out the depleted offensive front.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Blockbuster Browns Trade Pitch Nets All-Pro WR for Jags’ 1st-Round Pick appeared first on Heavy Sports.