ESPN makes bold prediction connecting the Cleveland Browns and Texas QB Arch Manning

The Cleveland Browns are coming off a 3-14 season, and there isn’t much reason to believe they won’t be headed for another tough campaign in 2025.

Finding stability at the quarterback position could be one way to turn things around. This offseason, the Browns made several notable moves at QB, starting with a trade for Kenny Pickett. They followed that up by selecting both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the draft.

If none of those quarterbacks prove to be “the guy,” the Browns have some flexibility in 2026. Thanks to a trade with the Jaguars that saw Cleveland move out of the No. 2 overall pick, they now hold two first-round selections in next year’s draft — ammunition that could be used to trade up for a top quarterback. According to one ESPN analyst, fans may already start eyeing the 2026 draft early in the upcoming season.

Cleveland Browns to tank for Arch Manning in 2025?

“The first, collective swell of a fan base wanting to tank for the Arch Manning pick will come Oct. 5, when the Browns start 0-5. (Their early-season schedule is brutal.) Manning will have just beaten the Florida Gators on Oct. 4 in a dazzling four-touchdown performance. The rallying cry will be ‘The March to Arch,’ or possibly ‘Planning for Manning.’” — Ben Solak, ESPN

Of course, Arch Manning isn’t a sure bet to enter the 2026 NFL Draft. He has limited starting experience in college, and it’s likely he plays two full seasons at Texas before making the leap. That said, if he delivers a breakout year in 2025 — say, leading the Longhorns to a national championship — it would be hard to pass up the NFL with his stock at an all-time high.

For the Browns to consider drafting Manning, they’d need to be convinced that neither Gabriel nor Sanders is capable of becoming a long-term solution. Both rookies will get a fair shot to compete for the starting job in training camp. Still, if fans start calling for a tank job to land Manning, it wouldn’t be surprising given the franchise’s long-standing struggles at the quarterback position.