Browns predicted land young offensive star in trade that will cost a haul of draft picks
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The Cleveland Browns are starting over yet again with Todd Monken taking over as head coach in 2026.
Monken has proven himself as one of the smartest offensive play callers in the NFL but other teams weren’t exactly beating down the door to land an interview with the 59-year-old longtime assistant.
Regardless, Monken is now responsible for revamping an offense that has held the Cleveland Browns back from contending for more than two decades. There have been a few bright spots, like in 2023 when Joe Flacco took over at QB at the end of the season and led Cleveland to a (4-1) finish which earned the Browns a spot to the playoffs with a (11-6) overall record.
But even during that season, the Browns were carried by the top defense in the NFL, finishing the year allowing the fewest yards in the league (270.2 per game).
If the Browns had a capable offense for the past 25 years, they would likely have more than three winning seasons in that same span.
The biggest issue plaguing Cleveland has come at the quarterback position. The awful decisions by ownership and general managers over the years are almost baffling, from the decision to draft Johnny Manziel to the choice to move on from Baker Mayfield. Of course there’s no larger misstep than when the Cleveland Browns decided to give Deshaun Watson an unprecedented 5-year $230 million deal with every dollar guaranteed that included a no-trade clause.
The way Watson’s contract is structured, there’s no way to cleanly move on from the QB who has only played in 19 games for the Browns in three seasons. Even with recent attempts to restructure the contract, Watson accounts for roughly $45 million against the cap in 2026 and nearly $80 million in 2027.
So with Watson coming back seemingly healthy this season, Monken will have to decide if he’s going to give the veteran big money QB another shot at the starting role, or if the team will continue to rally behind Sheduer Sanders who was impressive as the team’s starter to close out 2025.
Browns predicted to give up three draft picks to trade for WR Brian Thomas Jr.
Regardless of who is playing QB for Cleveland in 2026, the Browns need serious help at the receiver position. Jerry Jeudy — who was acquired in a trade with the Broncos ahead of the 2024 campaign — thrived as the No. 1 WR in Cleveland in his first season in the city with 90 catches for 1,229 yards and four touchdowns.
But Jeudy took a significant step back in 2025 with just 50 catches for 602 yards and two touchdowns.
Whether it’s Watson, Sanders or someone else at quarterback in 206 for the Browns, they desperately need another playmaker opposite of Jeudy. Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski believes they might pull off a blockbuster trade to acquire Brian Thomas Jr. from the Jaguars.
Sobleski predicts the Browns will send their2026 first round pick (24) and 2026 fourth round pick (107) in exchange for the Jaguars 23-year-old star WR.
“The Browns desperately need a wide receiver, with the inconsistent Jerry Jeudy serving as the squad's top threat," he wrote. Thomas can immediately enter Cleveland's lineup as WR1 and give whoever is at quarterback a quality target, particularly in the vertical game. General manager Andrew Berry should look at the situation and realize Thomas is only 23 years old and the Browns aren't going to get a better wide receiver with the draft pick they currently hold. Besides, the market demands a first-round pick in return after the Denver Broncos surrendered one for Jaylen Waddle, who is four years older than Thomas."
As of now, the Jaguars have stated publicly they have no plans on trading Thomas, but a big enough offer could change their minds.