For those who prefer the NFL draft to the actual NFL season, the Cleveland Browns have been a disappointment this year. Thought to be a worthy candidate for the No. 1 overall pick next April, the Browns instead look like playoff contenders with a lofty goal of playing in February.
A Super Bowl appearance seems out of reach, but so does a top pick in the draft. With a surprising 3-1 start, the Browns are in first place in the AFC North, and given what’s been going on in the rest of the division, their first win since reinstatement to the NFL in 1999 seems realistic for Cleveland.
With that in mind, FOX Sports anchor Colin Cowherd recently posted a candid message about Browns general manager Andrew Berry, highlighting the talent he has assembled.
“I said Cleveland wasn’t going to get the No. 1 pick. Andrew Berry is one of the most overrated GMs in this league. These guys have good players and they beat the Steelers, which surprised me. They beat them Thursday night. They’ve won three straight. Todd Monken deserves credit. They deserve to stabilize Deshaun Watson. They’re stabilized. Deshaun Watson can stabilize you if he can only win. In Cleveland quarterback you get, this team is too talented to have the No. 1 pick in any draft,” Cowherd said.
Berry may have saved his job with a successful 2025 draft class, and he built on that in 2026 with a better group. The Browns have eight starters in their first or second year, a list that includes linebacker Carson Schwesinger, linebacker Mason Graham, junior Harold Fannin Jr., running back Quinshons, Quinsson and wide receivers. Concepcion and forwards Spencer Fano and Austin Barber.
The GM dropped both of those drafts and the Browns could have gotten a better player if they had stayed put. He was also able to orchestrate a trade that sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams and brought back Jared Verse and more draft capital. All of his moves are made with an eye to the future, as Garrett would be past his prime and Verse would be in his prime along with the rest of the Browns’ young players.
Cleveland has found a way to take advantage of just eight combined wins over the last two seasons, and it’s starting to pay off with each win looking less and less likely to return to a top-10 pick.
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