Derek Carr isn’t buying the hype that the Cleveland Browns need to draft another quarterback. General manager Andrew Berry recently noted the possibility of adding a young signal-caller this offseason.
Yet, heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, Carr has been a vocal supporter of giving 2025 fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders a legitimate runway alongside veteran Deshaun Watson.
Derek Carr Defends Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson
The Browns’ quarterback situation remains one of the league’s most expensive and complicated puzzles. Watson is carrying a massive, fully guaranteed salary cap hit into 2026.
Meanwhile, Sanders showed flashes during a rocky rookie campaign. Instead of using premium draft capital to select another rookie passer, Carr has argued that Cleveland’s existing depth chart simply needs better protection.
Derek, on his podcast, Home Grown with David & Derek Carr, discussed, “If we leave this first round…yeah, with If I were to tell you, ‘Hey, Dave, Yeah. You’re the Cleveland Browns. You’re going to leave with Carnell Tate and Kadyn Proctor.'”
“Would you not sign up for that if you’re a Cleveland Browns fan? Shedeur is excited. Especially. Let’s not forget about Deshaun. Yeah. We got Deshaun’s there, too. lot of quarterbacks, so we’re good. We got we got enough talent in that room to win football. But I guess what? If we aren’t upright, it don’t matter.”
Carr has consistently backed Sanders’ potential since the Browns drafted him. During the 2025 preseason, Carr publicly questioned head coach Kevin Stefanski’s decision to pull Sanders from a two-minute drill, emphasizing that young quarterbacks desperately need those high-leverage snaps to develop.
Derek and David Carr Reveal Their 2026 Cleveland Browns Draft Picks
The Browns desperately need an influx of young, explosive talent on the perimeter. During their latest mock draft breakdown using PFSN’s NFL Mock Draft Simulator, the brothers pinpointed Ohio State standout Carnell Tate as the perfect fit for Cleveland’s offense and its fanbase.
“We have an affinity for the Sanders family, absolutely. But how do I not take Carnell Tate when he’s in my backyard? How many Tate jerseys are gonna be sold? Give us Carnell Tate. That’s a great pick out of Ohio. That’s what the Cleveland Browns have been needing for a while now.”
A crowded quarterback room ultimately steered them toward bolstering the trenches before taking a swing at a polarizing prospect.
“At 24, Kadyn Proctor. Am I so crazy to see Ty Simpson on that board and want to bring him into a competition? I mean, is there enough balls in the locker room? Why wouldn’t you draft another d-lineman in these first couple of picks? I’m good with getting Kayden McDonald. Branch, this guy’s gonna fall in the draft.
“Because all he did was run bubble screens. But you know, that’s what Todd Monken does. But when you get this man on your football team, he starts running these routes. I think he’s special.”
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The Carr brothers concluded by saying, “I want Carnell Tate. Kadyn Proctor. Kayden McDonald. Zachariah Branch.”
The Browns need to use the upcoming draft to solidify their blocking and add perimeter weapons.
