Month: March 2026

As the NFL season slowly drags on to the Super Bowl to many fans, (the 2026 draft) the off-season has reached the point of absurdity. Every year players rise and fall on analysts and fans draft boards, but the reasoning is based on combine and pro day performances. Not this year. Actually, it’s been getting worse for the last couple of years. But last year it reached a new low and it was based on a terrible quarterback draft. Quarterback talk drives the bus in this league, whether it be draftees or the never-ending list of the same aging free agent QB’s who always seem to be available. The quarterback position draws all the attention because there are teams who are always looking for the “franchise quarterback” even though the team that just won the Super Bowl had a QB who was on his fifth team. Franchise quarterbacks no longer exist. It’s a myth created in the 1990’s. With players receiving more and more NIL money, unless a college QB is guaranteed a top ten draft slot, he’s staying in college and getting paid.

Back a few years ago Draft con artist Mel Kiper got caught taking money from player’s agents to promote their clients in his mock drafts. He admitted doing it and suffered no consequences. You could argue he suffered shame, but you to have shame to feel shame. Kiper has none. Last year he promoted Sheduer Sanders as the number one quarterback in the draft and still won’t acknowledge his mistake. It’s the league’s fault for not agreeing with him. The worst part, fans still believe him and anytime anyone said anything negative about Sanders, they were immediately attacked. I’ve experienced this vigorous rebuttal myself, but I rely on my eyes. He played like a fifth-round pick. Fans tell me he was 3-4 as a starter, but in the last game against Cincinnati the Browns defense scored two touchdowns in a 20-18 victory. Should that count?

This year, Dan Orlovsky made a ridiculous statement that Alabama quarterback Tyler Simpson is the best quarterback in this year’s draft. I have no objection to someone expressing their opinion and if that’s his opinion then fine. But then he tried to justify his opinion by saying he texted to 12-15 GMs/decision-makers that Simpson is the best QB in the draft and only two disagreed. First of all, GM’s/decision makers are a little busy right now and aren’t expressing their thoughts about any player to a television analyst. Second of all his statement got plenty of play yesterday, which was his desired result. If any GM is taking Orlovsky’s advice, they should be fired right now. Because the quarterback position is overvalued, some team will overreact and draft Simpson in the first round. If he lasts until the third day where he should be drafted, then Orlovsky will blame the league like Kiper did the year before.

Some draft tidbits. I really think (my opinion) the Browns will draft more than one offensive tackle, that’s why I thought it was interesting the team brought in Miami (FL) left tackle Markel Bell for a player visit. He’s a two-year starter who never allowed a sack. He could be a very nice day three pickup. I’ve also heard the Browns like Utah’s Spencer Fano. Everyone is assuming the Browns will go either wide receiver or left tackle with the sixth pick, but there is one player who might interest them if the draft board falls a certain way. That player is Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. But again, the draft board has to fall a certain way.

As we move forward towards the 2026 NFL draft, remember the Browns front office never leaks anything, ever. Stay safe and Go Browns.

Sorry I skipped last week’s Browns blog, tax season comes at me fast, especially when I’m behind two weeks because of the ice storm. Now that things have settled down a bit, let’s see where everything stands after the first week of free agency.

I know the first week seems average for the Browns, but GM Andrew Berry said they would be a little more aggressive than last year (they were) and it would be targeted (it was). For all the complaining that Berry never tells the fans and media anything, he told you everything yet there’s still complaining. If you’ve listened to my podcasts, I said the Browns would not make a big splash signing, and yet people are upset there were no big-name signings. At least some things are predicable. As for the players, they’ve acquired, they are versatile and durable. My only concern is left tackle. I can understand not overpaying for LT Rasheed Walker, but I don’t trust Jawand Jones. He was been told again this year to lose weight (30 pounds). I guess they could draft a tackle, and they might, but I would feel better having a dependable veteran already in place prior to the draft.

The other big complaint is Joel Bitonio’s rather large dead cap hit. First of all, dead cap does not represent the negative connotations that those who don’t understand the salary cap try and tell you. Dead cap is money already spent. It’s gone, so actually it’s a positive. You can’t spend money you’ve already spent. The important number to pay attention to is cash spending. The Browns are always top five in cash spending because it doesn’t affect the cap. As I’ve said before, cash spending is like the owner writing a person check to the player. It all depends on the owner and his wealth. Most of these old billionaires want to hold on to their wealth with a death grip and the NFL team they own is a hobby. Not Jimmy Haslam, he’ll spend the money. Odds are it’ll work soon. According to Over The Cap, the Browns are $22.7 million under the cap. Plenty of money to sign or trade for players and sign draft picks.

Speaking of draft picks, Cleveland is in the process of draft player visits. Here’s who’s visited as of this writing: Jordyn Tyson, WR Arizona State, Carnell Tate, WR Ohio State, Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama, Markel Bell, OT Miami(FL), R Mason Thomas, EDGE Oklahoma, Makai Lemon, WR USC, Omar Cooper Jr., WR Indiana, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S Toledo and Chris Bell, WR Louisville. The surprise is R. Mason Thomas, but he was very effective in college rushing the passer. Bell is a day three LT who never allowed a sack for the Hurricanes. Are the Browns interested in any of these players? Yes, or they wouldn’t have them in for a pre-draft visit. Last year they brought in Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger and Quinshon Judkins. Finally, the big talking point is the Browns will trade down, because they did it last year. Poor reasoning. If there’s a trade down, the deal was started at the combine and we’ll never know if it doesn’t happen. Now there might be a trade for a veteran player prior to or during the draft and it might be a wide receiver. Stay safe and Go Browns.