The Browns may be sitting at 3-2 and getting a steadier version of Deshaun Watson than they’ve seen in his five seasons with the team, but that hasn’t changed the bigger picture much. Cleveland still looks like a club that could be hunting for a quarterback in the first round of the 2027 NFL Draft.
For a while, the obvious dream target was Manning. That path got a lot murkier after the Browns picked up their third win in Week 4, because landing the Texas quarterback would likely require the No. 1 pick.
Manning’s season has also taken a hit on the field, and Saturday’s loss to Oklahoma brought the roughest moment yet. He threw two costly fourth-quarter interceptions, including a pick-six and another that helped set up the Sooners’ winning score.
Manning is still expected to declare for the 2027 draft, but he may not be the first quarterback off the board - or even the second. If Cleveland finishes in the middle of the pack and ends up drafting around No. 15, there’s at least a chance he could fall right into their range.
Moore entered the season with plenty of buzz too, and for a while he was being discussed as the No. 2 quarterback behind Manning. That stock has taken a hit as well. The Oregon quarterback has appeared in only three games, and a concussion suffered against USC in Week 4 kept him out of Saturday’s matchup with Nebraska.
He could return this season, but what he looks like when he’s back remains an open question. So far, Moore has thrown for 926 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception.
Then there’s Simmons, who wasn’t exactly a preseason first-round conversation piece but has forced his way into it with his play at Missouri. He spent part of last season starting for Ole Miss before an injury opened the door for Trinidad Chambliss, and he never reclaimed the job after that.
This fall has gone differently. Simmons has been productive in his first season with the Tigers, posting 1,434 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and one interception in six games.
The Browns are already being linked to him in mock draft chatter. On Tuesday, Pro Football Focus’s Gordon McGuinness projected Simmons to Cleveland.
"Simmons appears to be one of the biggest in-season draft risers, with Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice placing him in the top 10 of a recent mock draft." McGuinnes wrote.
"Given how the Browns retooled their offensive line and wide receiver corps heading into the 2026 season, I think now is a great time for them to find a quarterback to build around. Simmons has earned an 87.5 PFF passing grade and produced a 17.6% positively graded play rate so far this season."
Cleveland could always roll forward with the group it has. But if the Browns decide they want to make a real quarterback move this offseason and bring in a new face, these are the names at the top of the conversation right now.
In Other News...
Browns Suddenly Have A Ravens Week Question Fans Desperately Wanted
Friday brought a welcome shift at Browns practice, with several injured players getting back on the field after limited or no work earlier in the week. Defensive tackle Mason Graham, running back Quinshon Judkins, linebacker Carson Schwesinger and edge defender Derek Barnett all participated, giving Cleveland a healthier look as it moves through a key stretch of preparation for Baltimore.
Grahams return is especially notable after he missed 15 days with a sprained MCL and ankle, and the Browns are still sorting through where their running back group stands heading into Ravens week. With practice availability trending in a better direction, the main question now is which of these returning pieces can actually be counted on when the matchup gets here. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Suddenly Have A Backfield Problem Before Ravens Showdown
Quinshon Judkins missed practice drills for a second straight day, and that alone has put the Browns in an awkward spot heading into a critical game against the Ravens. With a matchup this important, Cleveland had little margin for error already, and the running back situation only looks thinner as the week goes on. Dylan Sampson was on the field in a limited capacity while working back from a knee injury, but the overall picture is still unsettled.
The concern extends beyond one position group, too, because the Browns are dealing with injuries elsewhere as they try to get ready for Baltimore. When a team is bracing for a big divisional test and one of its top backfield options is trending the wrong way, every practice rep matters. Cleveland still has time to sort it out, but right now the backfield is the kind of problem that can change how the rest of the week feels. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Offseason Bets Are Already Exposing One Costly Problem
The Browns went into the offseason trying to cover a lot of ground with very little cap room, and the early returns on those bets have been mixed. Some of the moves have already helped stabilize spots that needed attention, with Denzel Boston adding value at receiver, Elgton Jenkins settling in at center, and Quincy Williams giving the defense a useful lift.
Zion Johnson and Tytus Howard, though, have not given Cleveland the same kind of payoff, and that gap matters because the Browns did not have much margin for error in the first place. When a team is shopping carefully and trying to patch multiple holes at once, a couple of underwhelming additions can quickly turn from inconvenient to costly, especially if the early optimism around the roster starts to fade. [Read more 🡒]