Browns Urged To Prioritize Shedeur Sanders During 2026 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns have not named Shedeur Sanders their starting quarterback, but their draft strategy could hint at their plans for the 2026 season.

Sanders had an inconsistent rookie campaign, completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Although he'll have to prove himself to head coach Todd Monken, it seems he's already making a strong impression on the new staff. The Colorado product was seen taking first-team reps at the start of voluntary veteran minicamp this Tuesday.

Is help on the way for Sanders? During this afternoon's edition of "NFL Live," ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said the Browns should use the No. 6 and No. 24 picks on offensive players who can potentially make life easier for their second-year quarterback.

"I think those two first-round pick should be left tackle and wide receiver," Orlovsky said. "If the Browns want to truly gauge what Shedeur Sanders is, you gotta improve the protection and skill players."

What's the plan for Cleveland?

The Browns have reportedly shown interest in the top wideouts in this year's class, including USC's Makai Lemon, Ohio State's Carnell Tate and Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson. We'd have to imagine Sanders would love to throw passes to any of those playmakers.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Browns have been fielding trade calls for the No. 6 pick. Even if they move out of that spot, Cleveland should still be in position to add a notable wide receiver.

It's safe to say the Browns will have plenty of options at their disposal during the first round of the draft.

Copyright The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 2:14 PM.