Browns Owner Already Looking to Replace Shedeur Sanders?

The Cleveland Browns may have selected Shedeur Sanders in the NFL Draft, but there is no guarantee that Sanders is going to be their franchise quarterback moving forward.

Remember: Sanders was a fifth-round pick, so the Browns don't have a whole lot of obligation toward the former Colorado Buffaloes star. He is also competing with three other quarterbacks for the starting job in training camp, including fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel (who was drafted two rounds ahead of Sanders).

It's entirely possible that Cleveland's long-term quarterback solution is not currently on its roster, and ESPN's Tony Rizzo has revealed that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam may already be looking toward the future as far as signal-caller is concerned.

Haslam's target? Texas Longhorns phenom Arch Manning.

“I know he would not admit it, and I know it’s nothing that they want to talk about, but I’m telling you the thirst that Jimmy Haslam has for Arch Manning is unmatched. Unmatched," Rizzo said. "You know the connection. The Haslams donated a ton of money to Tennessee. They have a good relationship with the Manning family. I don’t think it’s a coincidence they acquired a second first-round pick. ... It was described to me by a billionaire that said, ‘In a perfect world, that guy would be in Cleveland next year, and they would do anything to get him.'"

The Browns acquired the aforementioned second first-round pick by trading down from No. 2 back in April, passing on the chance to land Travis Hunter in the process.

No one knows for sure if Manning will even declare for the draft next year, and we also don't know how good he exactly is considering he has thrown a grand total of 95 passes at Texas thus far. But the general consensus is that Manning is a can't-miss prospect, and if Cleveland does end up securing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and Manning declares, the Browns may just nab him.

What that means for Sanders is anyone's guess, but it might take an incredibly strong rookie campaign from the 23-year-old in order for Cleveland to not take Manning — or any other quarterback — next spring.