The Cleveland Browns are a rebuilding team. If it wasn't clear before, the Myles Garrett blockbuster trade made it especially clear now.
With Andrew Berry and Todd Monken looking into the future, it's also become clear that the future of Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders as the Browns quarterback might only last the 2026 season. They're eyeing a rookie in the 2027 NFL Draft class.
Unfortunately, Seth Walder of ESPN shared a projection for the Browns that revealed Cleveland has just a 12.8% chance to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft class.
Browns have just 12.8% chance to land No. 1 pick
"So Miami has a 20.1% chance to earn the No. 1 pick, while the Jets are at 17.1%," Walder writes. "The Cardinals and Browns follow behind at 15.3% and 12.8%, respectively."
With the Browns very clearly expected to be in the quarterback market during next year's NFL Draft, it's noteworthy that they have the fourth-best odds to land the No. 1 pick.
But having such good odds compared to the rest of the NFL shouldn't be a surprise. The real issue is their odds for the top pick compared to the other teams at the bottom of the NFL.
With the Miami Dolphins having the best odds for that top pick, and the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals right behind them, the Browns are firmly in fourth place.
MORE: Taylen Green has a much higher ceiling for Browns than Shedeur Sanders
Landing a top-two pick next year is imperative for a quarterback-needy team, as Arch Manning and Dante Moore are expected to be incredible QB prospects worth using such a premium pick on.
If the Browns wind up picking fourth overall, they might still have the chance to land a solid quarterback prospect, but very likely not the best option.
While a similar situation has worked out great for the New England Patriots, with their pick of Drake May at No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft clearly working out great, there is a lot of risk in missing the top pick overall.
Though if there is one saving-grace for the Browns, the Las Vegas Raiders are next-highest at 11.0%, and they're very likely to pass on a QB prospect after taking Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall.
MORE: Harold Fannin Jr. will need to prove his worth in Todd Monken’s Browns offense
The Tennessee Titans follow at 5.8%, the Carolina Panthers at 4.3%, the New Orleans Saints at 3.1%, and the rest of the field is below 2.0% chance for the No. 1 pick.
Dolphins, Jets, and Cardinals all need a new quarterback. If one of the Panthers or Saints finishes with the top pick, they could explore those QB options to replace Bryce Young and Tyler Shough, respectively.
The Browns have a 12.8% chance to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. But, it's a little concerning that the Dolphins, Jets, and Cardinals all have better odds by at least 2.0%.
They have a good shot at the top pick, but it's also possible they miss out on a great chance to land their quarterback of the future if Sanders and/or Watson perform well during the 2026 season.
More NFL news: