Top Browns Insider Urges Team to Draft Shedeur Sanders Replacement
For weeks, the conversation in Cleveland has centered on a looming quarterback battle between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson.
Sanders, a former college star at Colorado and son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, has generated real buzz as a potential long-term answer. Watson, meanwhile, brings far more NFL experience and was once among the league's elite dual-threat quarterbacks, though injuries in recent years have limited his availability.
Even so, with Watson still tied to his massive, fully guaranteed $230 million deal signed in 2022, and Sanders entering just his second pro season, insiders have consistently framed the situation as wide open.
But on Tuesday, longtime Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot threw a curveball into that narrative, urging Cleveland to take a swing on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Sometimes people talk about the Cleveland Browns as being a total joke. They’re not a total joke. They have a defense that can beat anybody, really. So it’s just a matter of getting the offense up to speed, and that’s going to take good quarterback play, whether it comes from Shedeur, Deshaun, or maybe somebody that they draft,” Cabot said.
“I actually think they should take Ty Simpson at some point in this draft. I don’t think they will, but that is something that I would do. If you have a shot at the second-best quarterback in this draft, why not take it?”
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Simpson enters the draft as one of the most polarizing prospects in the class, and arguably the most intriguing.
At 6-foot-1, 211 pounds, he checks plenty of NFL boxes physically, and his lone season as a full-time starter at Alabama was highly productive, as he threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just five interceptions while leading the program to an 11–4 record and a College Football Playoff appearance.
A former five-star recruit, Simpson earned second-team All-SEC honors and completed 64.5% of his passes during that breakout campaign.
However, it's that limited starting experience, combined with some late-season inconsistency, that has certain NFL evaluators urging caution.
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As a result, Simpson's draft range remains wide, projected anywhere from the mid-first round to early Day 2. Some mocks have him slipping toward the back end of Round 1, while others suggest a team could reach earlier if they fall in love with his upside.
Holding two first-round picks at No. 6 and No. 24 overall, the Browns are well-positioned to make a move. They could take Simpson outright in the first round if he's their top quarterback target, or wait and gamble on him sliding into Day 2, where they also hold the No. 39 pick.
There are also clear ties. Cleveland has already hosted Simpson for a pre-draft visit, and new head coach Todd Monken previously tried to recruit him while at Georgia. Monken also reportedly worked with Simpson's father during his time at Southern Miss.
Drafting Simpson would instantly create a three-way quarterback competition between Sanders, Watson, and Simpson. It's a crowded and potentially volatile setup, but one that raises the overall floor of the room.
At minimum, it provides insurance if Sanders isn't ready to take the leap.
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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 2:29 PM.