Finally, the 2026 NFL draft is only eight days away. On the one hand it seems very close and on the other hand it seems very far away. Especially considering the nonsense the local and national media puts out on a daily basis. Today, I’m writing to clear up some of the noise.
We all know the Browns have to improve the offense, especially the offensive tackle and wide receiver positions. As of today, the Browns have four tackles rated similar for the first round. Some have speculated the Browns are considering drafting Kadyn Proctor with the sixth pick, however some in the front office have concerns about his agility and footwork, while others feel he is better suited for offensive guard. The two names I hear for OT are Calib Lomu and Markiel Bell. Lomu is rated as a first round pick (but not at pick 6) and Bell is rated a day three prospect. Another OT who interests the Browns is Max Iheanachor, another developmental prospect.
As for wide receivers at pick six, the Browns are interested in Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon. Some in the building believe Tate might be gone by pick 6. Other WR’s who interest the Brown later in the draft are K.C. Concepcion (later in the first round) and Ted Hurst (later in the draft). There are a few defensive wildcards for the Browns. At defensive end, R. Mason Thomas and David Bailey. The biggest wildcard is Caleb Downs, who is a very tempting player at pick 6. I’m fully convinced the Browns will address the DE/LB position either in the draft, free agency or the trade market prior to OTA’s. I’m also convinced the team will draft a safety and a cornerback next week. The Browns believe the safety market in the draft is the best option.
Lately, the media and others on social media have been pushing the trade down theory with the Cowboys and the Eagles being the primary partners. Dallas has a history of making bad trades which benefit the team they’re trading with, so if the Browns can steal picks from Dallas, that’s fine with me. However, there’s no way Cowboy owner Jerry Jones could keep this kind of deal secret, he loves to hear his name in the media. As for the Eagles, Browns GM Andrew Berry always touches base with the Eagles before the draft only because he used to work for them. There’s no Myles Garrett or A.J. Brown trade in the works. As I’ve said, if Garrett is traded before June 1, there’s a $41millon dead cap hit. Now after June 1, the dead cap hit is only $15million but why burden a new head coach with the responsibility of fixing both the offense and the defense in the same year.
There’ll be plenty more speculation and craziness in the next eight days, so stay safe and Go Browns.