Week 15 delivered a gut punch to the Kansas City Chiefs - and not just in the standings. With their playoff hopes officially extinguished at 6-8, the bigger blow came when Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL, ending his season and casting real doubt on whether we’ll see him back on the field in 2026.
For Kansas City, the focus now shifts to finishing out the year without their franchise cornerstone. For the rest of the league, especially teams eyeing the top of the 2026 NFL Draft, Mahomes’ injury just changed the equation.
Enter the Cleveland Browns - a team that’s been enduring its own kind of nightmare this season. At 3-11, the Browns are in the thick of the race for the No. 1 overall pick. But thanks to the Mahomes injury, that race just got a lot more interesting.
The Browns’ Draft Outlook Just Got a Boost
Cleveland currently sits in line for the No. 4 pick. Ahead of them?
The Titans, Raiders, and Giants - all sitting at 2-12. But here’s where things get intriguing: two of those teams, Tennessee and Las Vegas, are set to face a Mahomes-less Chiefs squad in the final stretch of the season.
And those matchups could have ripple effects that directly impact Cleveland’s draft position.
Without Mahomes under center, Kansas City becomes a very different team. Gardner Minshew is expected to lead the offense for the final three games. He’s a capable veteran with experience and poise, but he’s not Mahomes - and that changes the math for teams like the Titans and Raiders, who now have a more realistic shot at pulling off wins that would shift the draft order.
There’s also a head-to-head clash between the Raiders and Giants on the schedule, which guarantees at least one of those 2-12 teams will pick up another win. All of this opens the door for Cleveland to potentially slide up the board - maybe even all the way to No. 1.
What Happens If Cleveland Lands the Top Pick?
Of course, this all hinges on the Browns losing out. Their final three games come against the Bills, Steelers, and Bengals - three teams still fighting for playoff positioning. If Cleveland drops all three, and the dominoes fall just right, they could find themselves with the first overall selection in 2026.
And that’s where things get really interesting.
The Browns are staring down a major decision if they land that top spot. Do they go all-in on a quarterback in what’s shaping up to be a top-heavy QB class? Or do they ride with Shedeur Sanders and flip the No. 1 pick for a haul of draft capital?
If they believe Sanders is their guy, the trade value of that top pick could be enormous - especially in a year where multiple teams are desperate for a franchise quarterback. But if Cleveland decides they want a fresh start at the position, they’ll be in prime position to take one of the top two signal-callers without needing to make any moves.
A Franchise-Defining Stretch
The final three weeks of the regular season won’t mean much in terms of wins and losses for Cleveland - but they could define the next decade of Browns football. Mahomes’ injury may have closed the door on Kansas City’s playoff run, but it might have opened one for the Browns in the draft.
Now it’s a waiting game. Cleveland needs to lose out, and they need a little help from some teams who just got a better shot at winning thanks to the absence of No. 15 in red. If the chips fall the right way, the Browns could walk into the offseason with the most powerful asset in football: the first overall pick in a quarterback-driven draft.
And with that comes a franchise-altering decision.