It’s not even preseason, and there’s already speculation that the Cleveland Browns are planning to tank for Arch Manning.
Cleveland projects to be among the worst teams in football and a prime candidate to secure the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. Manning is the most-hyped quarterback prospect since Trevor Lawrence and would be a top-pick candidate if he even hints at delivering on that promise in his first season as Texas’ starting quarterback.
And then there’s owner Jimmy Haslam’s connection to the Manning family. Haslam’s a Tennessee alum and has a close relationship with Arch’s uncle, Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. What that has to do with the stars aligning for the Browns to draft Manning is a mystery. But folks like to connect those dots.
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But there’s reason to suggest that it might be a bit early for the Browns tank train to leave the station — not the least of which is that Manning might not even declare for next year’s draft. Haslam addressed that point on Tuesday while speaking with media.
“I don’t know Arch at all,” Haslam said. “I bet he stays in college two more years. I don’t even think that’s worth discussing.”
While it’s difficult to believe that drafting Manning hasn’t crossed Haslam’s mind, Haslam’s point is valid. Manning may be in no hurry to make the jump.
Manning was reportedly the top NIL earner ($6.5 million) in college sports last season, and that was as the backup quarterback at Texas. His earning potential will only continue to grow as his spotlight does. If for any reason Manning isn’t ready to make the jump, he’ll have plenty of reason to remain at Texas, especially if he’s enjoying college life at 21 years old.
What about Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders?
Then there are the young quarterbacks Cleveland already employs. The Browns spent a third-round pick to select Dillon Gabriel and a fifth-round pick to select Shedeur Sanders in April’s NFL Draft. These guys are just now getting their first training camp reps as NFL quarterbacks.
The selection of both raised some eyebrows, raising questions about what Cleveland’s plan at quarterback is. Haslam said Tuesday that the decision to draft Sanders two rounds after selecting Gabriel was general manager Andrew Berry’s, not his.
#Browns Jimmy Haslam stresses that Shedeur Sanders was Andrew Berry’s pick, not his. pic.twitter.com/sD3yQYwSq8
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) July 29, 2025
“If you’d have told me … Friday night driving home, ‘y’all are gonna pick Shedeur,’ I would say ‘that’s not happening,'” Haslam said. “We had a conversation early that morning, and we had a conversation later that day. I think we had the right people involved in the conversation.
“At the end of the day, that’s Andrew Berry’s call. Andrew made the call to pick Shedeur.”
Those comments aren’t going to inspire confidence in Sanders’ chances to win the job as the fourth man in a four-way quarterback competition in Cleveland, which appear to be slim.
But the Browns are presumably going to see what they’ve got in Gabriel and Sanders in case one of them turns out to be a draft gem.
Manning’s not the only QB prospect worth watching
But in the instance that neither is, the tank in Cleveland could certainly be on sooner than later once the season starts. And Manning won’t be the only quarterback worth targeting.
Clemson’s Cade Klubnik or South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers could also emerge as top-pick candidates, whether Manning ends up declaring or not. And if Gabriel and Sanders don’t hit, the priority in Cleveland — as it has been for most of the team’s existence — will be to finally find that elusive franchise quarterback.
