Shedeur Sanders may not have officially secured the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback job for 2026, but he appears to be the frontrunner entering the season, ahead of Deshaun Watson.
Regardless of who ultimately takes the snaps, the Browns face an urgent need to upgrade their offense, particularly along the offensive line and at wide receiver. According to one insider, Cleveland could look to address that need by targeting a veteran wideout.
Browns Could Make Major Splash at Wide Receiver
The Browns severely lacked at wide receiver this season, with no one even crossing the 700-yard mark or ranking among the top 80 receivers in PFSN’s NFL WR Impact Metric. Much of the offense’s passing game hinged on rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who recorded 731 receiving yards on 72 catches and 6 touchdowns.
He was their top receiver by a long shot, having secured 22 more receptions than their next best player, Jerry Jeudy, highlighting the urgent need for a top-tier target.
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Armed with two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Browns could use one on a wide receiver. But adding a rookie alone may not be enough, and they could pursue a proven veteran to help stabilize and elevate the offense, with ESPN’s Ben Solak predicting Cleveland could target Brandon Aiyuk.
“The Browns will bring in 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, as they continue their tradition of signing receivers on low-cost contracts in the hopes of hitting it big,” Solak wrote. “Aiyuk’s days in San Francisco are likely over; the Browns can offer him more money and opportunity compared to any other team in the NFL”.
After missing last season while recovering from a torn ACL, Aiyuk’s relationship with the 49ers appears to have deteriorated. Whether the 49ers pursue a trade or ultimately release him, a split seems increasingly likely, and Cleveland could emerge as a logical landing spot.
Aiyuk, who signed a four-year, $120 million deal during the 2024 offseason, will be 28 entering next season, often considered the prime of many players’ careers. Through the first five seasons of his career, he has caught 294 passes for 4,305 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also has 2 rushing touchdowns.
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Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot also reported last month that Cleveland could have interest.
“We know that [the Browns] have pursued [Aiyuk] in the past,” Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot told “The Ken Carman Show”. “And [GM] Andrew Berry has a tendency to circle back on guys that he tried to acquire before, and go wrap them up. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if they do their diligence and inquire”.
A trade may be difficult to pull off, but if Aiyuk becomes available in free agency, Cleveland would almost certainly explore the opportunity even on a shorter-term deal to help accelerate the development of its young offense.
