#HeyTony: Should the Browns draft a QB or sign a reclamation project?

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.

Hey Tony: Instead of a current NFL QB as a reclamation project (rumors) would it not be wiser to take on one of the college reclamation projects? Allar, Klubnik, Nussmeier? All were potential 1st round picks last year. Cheaper and more time  to develop.   

-- John, Stow, OH

Hey John: I’m of the opinion the Browns don’t need another developmental quarterback this year. Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are still in developmental stage. Why glom up their development? Let’s see what they have under Todd Monken’s direction. Nobody in the 2026 draft is “the answer” to the Browns’ QB doldrums. I like Allar, but none of the others excites me. The franchise QB might be in the 2027 draft. So this is a year to further develop Sanders and Gabriel and have them compete with Deshaun Watson for the starting job. Watson is the veteran reclamation project. If healthy, Watson could be the veteran backup or eventual starter. For 2026 only. As for a fourth QB, the Browns should bring in Tyler Huntley again. Why not? He had good relationships with Watson in 2024 and Sanders in 2025 in training camp. With Monken now as Browns coach, it makes more sense now than ever to bring in Huntley as a security blanket for the season. That’s my Browns training camp QB room – Sanders, Watson, Gabriel, Huntley.

Hey Tony: How do they plan to get Arch in next year’s draft?

-- Cory, Columbus, OH

Hey Cory: I don’t think it’s doable. The Jets have three No. 1 picks in the 2027 draft. They won’t trade down if they “earn” the No. 1 overall pick. And if they fall short of it, they have the ammo to overpay to draft Manning. Another Manning in New York? The Jets would be foolish not to go all-in on him. If I were the Browns, I would concentrate on Dante Moore of Oregon and LaNorris Sellers of South Carolina and hope they have good, healthy 2026 college seasons.

Hey Tony: Do you see a possibility in the Browns trading down from pick 6?

-- Adam, Alberta, Canada

Hey Adam: Sure. But it won’t be as easy as it was last year when Jacksonville overpaid to move up from No. 4 to No. 2 to take Travis Hunter. I doubt that GM Andrew Berry can acquire a 2027 No. 1 pick by trading down from No. 6 this year. The 2027 draft is going to be loaded and every NFL team will want to keep its first-round pick. Actually, I think Berry has a better chance of trading No. 24 for a 2027 No. 1. At the very least, he should try to get an extra second-round pick in 2027.

Hey Tony: Do you think the Browns will look to pursue Tyler Linderbaum at all?  Plays right into the “draft one, trade for one, sign one” model that Andrew Berry admires.

-- Mark, Bakersfield, CA

Hey Mark: Linderbaum is going to be a $20 million-a-year free agent and probably will be pursued hard by the Giants and Chargers. I’d aim for the second wave of centers – Connor McGovern of the Bills and Cade Mays of Carolina. Another option would be to draft Pat Coogan of Indiana, who is projected as fourth-round pick. I don’t feel comfortable relying on Luke Wypler, who has had injury problems.

Hey Tony: Why aren't the Browns bringing back Martin Emerson? Injury worries, too expensive?

-- Dave, Cedar Park, TX

Hey Dave: Emerson suffered an Achilles tendon tear in early August and missed the 2025 season. I think his situation comes down to this: The Emerson camp feels there will be a free agent market for him and the Browns don’t. I think the Browns would bring him back if a market doesn’t materialize for Emerson, but they’re not going to re-invest heavily, at least in 2026. I’m surprised the Browns didn’t make a nominal offer for Emerson before the 2025 season ran out.

Hey Tony: Do you think Andrew Berry ever makes jokes with the Texans GM when making trades? Something like “I’ll throw Deshaun Watson back to you to get this done today”?

-- Josh, Ooltewah, TN

Hey Josh: Um, no.

Hey Tony: So are the Browns getting cap relief due to taking out insurance on Watson last year? This was constantly mentioned last year with his injury but it has been crickets since.

-- Kyle, Celina, OH

Hey Kyle: The Browns will get some cap relief from the Watson insurance policy, but my understanding is it won’t be substantial. I think this news story will play out soon, possibly at NFL owners meeting next month.

Hey Tony: Do you see any situation where the Browns take a defender in the first round with one of their two picks? Seems a very Browns thing to do.

-- Mike, North Olmsted, OH

Hey Mike: The only scenario I see the Browns taking a defender in the first round is if they sign a certifiable starting left tackle and a No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver in free agency. If they did that, which would come at great cost, they could justify taking a defensive player in the first round.

Hey Tony: We know the Browns won’t admit they are in a rebuild. But does it seem like we are trying to get everything to align by the ‘29 season when the new stadium opens?

-- Andy, Bloomington, IL

Hey Andy: The Browns have all but admitted they are in rebuild. I mean, GM Andrew Berry has stated several times he expects to field one of the youngest rosters in the league in 2026. The key to the 2029 season is having a franchise QB in place by then. And they’re running out of time. Perhaps 2027?

Hey Tony: The general consensus of Deshaun Watson never starting another game for Cleveland again is slowly fading into abyss. When will it start to feel real for everyone about his potential return to QB1 status for the Browns?

-- Eric, Columbus, OH

Hey Eric: If Watson can stay healthy, he’ll compete in camp to be QB1. If he wins it, it would be a one-year thing. He will not be back in 2027. They’re paying him $46 million. Why the hell wouldn’t they try to get some dividend on that investment?

Hey Tony: What was the most head scratching first round pick from drafts you covered in the 1980s and 1990s? What draft pick during the same time period surprised you most (worked out better than expected)?

-- Don, Cleveland, OH

Hey Don: In the wee hours before the 1987 draft, I broke the story after midnight that the Browns were trading Chip Banks to the San Diego Chargers for the fifth overall pick of the draft. I had reason to believe coach Marty Schottenheimer intended to use the pick on Penn State linebacker Shane Conlan. Lo and behold, the Browns chose Mike Junkin from Duke, who was a bow-legged linebacker from Duke with a history of steroids use. Browns super scout Dom Anile described Junkin to Schottenheimer after his pre-draft workout as “a mad dog in a meat market.” (Anile later confided to me it would be his epitaph. He was right.) Turned out to be one of the all-time Browns draft busts. As for best surprises, I would list Earnest Byner (10^th round, 1984), Brian Brennan (fourth round, 1984), and Michael Dean Perry (second round, 1988).