The Cleveland Browns were officially eliminated from the playoffs with their Week 14 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
With the team still searching for long-term stability under center and losses piling up, Cleveland now enters the familiar late-season dilemma: push for morale-boosting wins or lean into improving their odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick.
What Are the Browns’ Chances of Landing No. 1 Pick?
Entering Week 14, the Browns held a 5.2% chance of landing the first overall pick and sat at the fifth spot in the draft order, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
However, after their Week 14 loss to the Titans, Cleveland now has a 12.1% chance of landing the No. 1 pick. This is the fourth-highest odds of any team in the league behind only the New York Giants (23.7%), Las Vegas Raiders (21.9%), and the Titans (19.4%). PFSN The fact that the New Orleans Saints also pulled off a stunning win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers helps the Browns’ odds as well.
PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor doesn’t just project the playoff picture, it also projects the NFL Draft order using each team’s current record and remaining strength of schedule.
Quarterback play has been a revolving door for the Browns this season, with three players, including two rookies, taking snaps under center. Shedeur Sanders is the current starter and he has shown flashes of promise, winning his first start, but he has yet to deliver a statement game that convinces the team they can pass on drafting a quarterback in 2026.
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The Browns currently have two first-round picks, and while they may decide to push for the top pick by tanking, they also want Sanders to excel and convince them that he could be their franchise QB.
Beyond the quarterback position, the Browns’ rookie class has largely exceeded expectations. Mason Graham has made an immediate impact on the defensive line, ranking 21st in PFSN’s DT Impact metric. At the same time, Carson Schwesinger has integrated perfectly into a strong Browns defense, helping secure three wins this season.
On offense, Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr. have both been excellent additions. Judkins, after a slow start, has emerged as a key contributor and is ranked No. 26 on PFSN’s RB Impact chart.
With a talented roster on both sides of the ball, the Browns have strong upside, particularly if they find stability at quarterback, whether it’s Sanders or a new addition in the draft.
Now, the Browns find themselves in an excellent position to add another difference-maker early in the 2026 NFL Draft, plus a second first-round rookie. While all eyes are on Sanders to see how he plays down the stretch, there will also be plenty of attention on the Browns’ draft positioning.
