Andrew Berry clarifies if Browns would have selected Ty Simpson in first round of NFL Draft

A recent article produced by Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports teased that Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry would have considered selecting Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft had Simpson fallen to Cleveland at overall pick No. 24.

Of course, the Los Angeles Rams stunned many members of the football community when they grabbed Simpson at No. 13. During a Tuesday appearance on ESPN Cleveland, Berry attempted to clarify how he did and didn't feel about his team's draft board on the night of April 23. 

Ty Simpson was not a "focal point" for Browns in first round of NFL Draft?

"We didn't anticipate Ty would be available to us at 24," Berry explained, per Spencer German of Browns Roundtable and Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand. "Certainly, if the board falls a certain way, he comes into consideration, but by no means was that meant to be a suggestion that he would be the focal point of that pick."

In the end, the Browns selected Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion at pick No. 24. 

The Browns had Dillon Gabriel, fellow 2025 rookie Shedeur Sanders and veteran Deshaun Watson in their quarterback room when they took a flier on Arkansas' Taylen Green in the sixth round of this year's draft. A subsequent report said that Watson and Sanders will "battle for the starting job," while Gabriel and Green "will essentially vie for the developmental spot." 

Andrew Berry opens up about Browns' quarterback plan for 2026 season

On Tuesday, Berry said he wants to keep three quarterbacks on the active roster and one on the practice squad.

"We’ve preached competition, and that’ll hold true in the quarterback room," Berry added about what is to come for Cleveland's signal-callers through training camp and the preseason. "That doesn’t mean everybody gets equal reps. We’re looking for performance. I hate to make it that simple, but that’s what it’s about, ultimately."

In short, it sounds like neither Sanders nor Watson has been promised anything other than that they will be part of a competition for the QB1 gig that may not wrap up until late August.