The Browns have already found one of the NFL’s early-season surprises in their own building, but the bigger long-term boost might be coming from 2027.
After three weeks, Cleveland is sitting at 2-1, right there with every other AFC North team. That alone would have sounded far-fetched when the season began, especially with the low outside expectations and Deshaun Watson giving the Browns competent quarterback play. But the other reason for optimism has nothing to do with what Cleveland controls.
It has to do with the Los Angeles Rams.
As part of the trade that sent Myles Garrett to L.A. and Jared Verse to Cleveland, the Browns own the Rams’ 2027 first-round pick. That pick was widely expected to land at the very end of the round after an offseason that made the Rams look like clear Super Bowl favorites. Instead, Los Angeles has opened 1-2, and that has changed the conversation in Cleveland.
The Rams have already had a strange start. They were blown out by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, bounced back with a dominant win over the New York Giants in Week 2, then dropped a tight one to the Denver Broncos in Week 3. There are explanations for some of that, including a trip halfway around the world to Australia in Week 1, horrible officiating in Week 3, and the absence of Myles Garrett and star receiver Puka Nacua.
Even so, the first three weeks have shown the one thing the Browns need to keep in mind: nothing is locked in.
Could the Rams get healthy and turn into the dominant team everyone expected? Absolutely.
Could this also spiral into a disappointing season in Los Angeles? That’s in play too.
For Cleveland, the ideal outcome is obvious. A Rams team that falls short of the hype would give the Browns a strong asset in 2027, and that pick could even wind up being the higher of Cleveland’s two first-rounders if the Browns keep outperforming expectations. Browns fans shouldn’t assume the Rams pick will be valuable, but they also don’t have any reason to rule it out yet.
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Deshaun Watson Just Raised The Stakes For Clevelands Quarterback Plan
Deshaun Watson is still thinking long term, even as the Browns continue to sort through their quarterback situation. Speaking about his career outlook, Watson said he wants to play in the NFL as long as possible, pointing to Aaron Rodgers as the kind of veteran who has shown how far a quarterback can stretch his runway. He also said his motivation is to keep going until his body no longer allows it.
For Cleveland, that mindset matters because it keeps the conversation about its quarterback future from feeling like a short-term issue. Rodgers has already said this season will be his last, but Watson is taking the opposite view, and that kind of durability ambition can shape how a team plans around its quarterback room. The Browns may still be deciding how best to navigate the position, but Watson is making clear he sees himself as part of the leagues long game. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jeudy Reaches A Big Browns Crossroads On Thursday Night
Jerry Jeudys start to the 2026 season has been a quiet one in Cleveland, and the usage tells the story as much as the box scores do. Through three games, he has seen just five targets and turned them into two catches for four yards, a surprising level of involvement for a receiver the Browns still had every reason to imagine as a meaningful part of the passing game.
Instead, the early work has gone more heavily to rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, who have been involved far more often and have quickly carved out a bigger share of the offense. That leaves Jeudy at an important crossroads, trying to find a way back into a larger role before the gap gets wider, while the Browns have to decide whether his path forward is inside their offense or somewhere else entirely. [Read more 🡒]
Browns May Soon Face A QB Decision Fans Didn't Expect
The Browns have spent much of the season sorting through a crowded quarterback room, and the picture could get even tighter soon. Dillon Gabriel is on short-term injured reserve but could be back before long, giving Cleveland another healthy arm to consider alongside the rest of a four-quarterback roster.
That kind of depth can be useful in October, but it also creates pressure on the front office to make a call before the roster becomes unwieldy. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler recently pegged Cleveland as one of three teams that could move a backup quarterback for draft capital, and Gabriel looks like the name that fits the conversation best because of the depth chart and the Browns' roster constraints. [Read more 🡒]