The Cleveland Browns beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Sunday’s regular-season finale, impacting their position in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Cleveland entered Week 18 at 4-12 after last week’s 13-6 upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, a result that dropped the Browns from No. 3 to No. 6 in the current draft order and eliminated any remaining chance at the No. 1 overall pick.
The Browns beat the Bengals 20-18 on Sunday, which prevented them from moving up in the draft order. Cleveland moved back to No. 7 overall and finished the season with a 5-12 record.
This will be updated following Sunday’s results.
Quarterback Implications for Browns
Draft position matters for Cleveland because of the quarterback landscape at the top of the board. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Oregon’s Dante Moore, and Alabama’s Ty Simpson are widely viewed as the top quarterback prospects in the class, provided they declare. Ole Miss Trinidad Chambliss also helped his draft stock with a big performance in the Sugar Bowl.
However, the Browns may not target a first round quarterback, depending on the decision the team makes around rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. He began the season buried on the depth chart before injuries and roster moves opened the door in Week 12. Sanders seized the opportunity, going 2-4 as a starter while throwing for 1,289 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Sanders has taken a week-by-week approach to his time as the starter and isn’t worried about what the Browns may decide moving forward.
“I can’t think about what other people’s opinion or what they view me as,” Sanders said. “I know the teams that we go against;I know they definitely respect me in a passing game, for sure. But I can’t be accountable for somebody else’s decisions.”
Cleveland also owns the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-round pick from last year’s trade down, which currently projects to No. 27 overall but will depend on the outcome of the postseason. The additional selection gives the Browns flexibility to maneuver up the board if they identify a player they want or to address other roster needs without sacrificing future assets.
Myles Garrett Not Interested in Rebuild With Browns
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett demanded a trade in the offseason, expressing that he’d like to play for a contender. He ultimatly agreed to a four year, $160 million extension, linking him to Cleveland for the foreseeable future.
However, the Browns were no closer to being a playoff team this season than they were a year before when they finished 3-14. Garrett expressed this week that he’s not interested in being part of a rebuild in Cleveland.
“I’m committed to winning, and long as the team organization are doing so and they’re committed to that same thing, then I’m all on board,” Garrett said. “But if we’re thinking anything other than winning – tanking or rebuilding, that’s not me.”
Garrett enters Week 18 with 22 sacks — just one shy of setting the NFL single-season record.
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