The Cleveland Browns find themselves at a pivotal crossroads. As they look toward the future of the quarterback position, speculation is swirling around potential franchise-altering moves.
Could Cleveland become the ultimate stage for a quarterback battle featuring two of college football’s most intriguing names: Texas prodigy Arch Manning and former Colorado standout Shedeur Sanders?
Why Myles Garrett Is Key to a Potential Arch Manning vs. Shedeur Sanders Competition
The Browns garnered a great deal of attention during the 2025 offseason thanks to their confusing decision to draft Sanders in the fifth round after already selecting Dillon Gabriel in the third.
After trying out both rookies, as well as Joe Flacco last season, the Browns still lack clarity on the future of their signal-caller position. Most analysts agree that Sanders will start in 2026. However, if he doesn’t become more consistent, then they could look to replace him with Manning, who many believe will be a generational talent when he enters the draft in 2027.
Currently, Cleveland’s roster boasts one of the most dominant defensive forces in NFL history in Myles Garrett. The superstar edge rusher continues to perform at an elite level, virtually willing the Browns to victories on his own.
Garrett not only won NFL Defensive Player of the Year for 2025, but he also ranked No. 1 overall out of all edge rushers in PFSN’s EDGE Impact metric with a score of 95.6, or an A.
However, in the unforgiving math of the NFL Draft, winning hard-fought games creates a significant obstacle. To draft a highly coveted prospect like Manning, teams must either finish at the very bottom of the league standings or amass a mountain of premium draft capital to trade up.
This conundrum was highlighted recently on 92.3 The Fan, where the stark reality of Cleveland’s draft positioning was laid bare. Speaking on the hypothetical maneuverings required to draft the Texas phenom, show host Nick Pedone emphasized the cost of Garrett’s sheer brilliance.
“I like keeping good football players in Cleveland, you won five games because Myles Garrett was superhuman,” Pedone noted. “If you win five games you’re not going to be worse than the Jets, you’re not going to be worse than the Cardinals, and one of those two teams is gonna take him away from you.”
“I’m NOT advocating that they should it, but if you’re end goal is to end up with Arch Manning…if you trade Myles Garrett, you’re just in the player development business. You’re firmly in the smack dab center of a rebuild.”
➡️ @NickPedone12 and @RuiterWrongFAN on the #Browns… https://t.co/j1XVv4rN7g pic.twitter.com/XnZ0Nvr1nQ
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) April 12, 2026
To leapfrog those seemingly always quarterback-needy teams, the Browns would need to assemble a blockbuster trade package that contains significant draft capital. “In the world of trading up, you’re going to want a bonus pick in 2027,” Pedone continued, concluding that “unless the Browns could catch somebody sleeping at the wheel in a trade back this April, Myles Garrett might be their only ticket to Arch Manning. If that’s truly what they’re after.”
This presents Cleveland with an agonizing dilemma. Do they part ways with a beloved defensive cornerstone to secure Manning? Or do they stay the course with Sanders?
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Ultimately, the Browns must weigh proven dominance against unwritten potential. Trading away a franchise legend is a tough pill to swallow. As the radio host cautioned, “I’m not advocating that they should do it. I’m very pro you’ve got a future Hall of Fame player that just did football history for your franchise.”
However, if Cleveland’s front office decides that Sanders won’t develop into the star many think Manning will be, then acquiring Manning might be their best bet. It also might be that moving their defensive superstar is the only play left on the board.
