The Cleveland Browns are preparing to make what may very well be a franchise-altering decision in the NFL Draft, as they own the No. 2 overall pick and must tread carefully.
The general consensus is that the Browns will not be taking a quarterback and that they may be favoring wide receiver Travis Hunter with their top selection, but could Cleveland land Hunter and still come away with a signal-caller on Day 1?
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton poses the possibility, proposing that the Browns acquire the eighth overall pick from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for pick Nos. 33 and 104 in this year's draft and 2026 first and second-round selections.
Moton then projects Cleveland to nab both Hunter and Sanders with its pair of first-round draft choices.
"It would also uniquely afford the Browns a chance to keep the Sanders-Hunter battery together," Moton wrote. "There's a clear benefit in doing so, as they have a fantastic rapport after playing four seasons together at both Jackson State and Colorado and would be able to hit the ground running in the NFL."
That's all well and good, but realistically speaking, why would the Panthers do this? I get the allure of landing a couple of very early picks in 2026, but would Carolina really be willing to move down 25 spots in this year's draft? It just doesn't seem very plausible.
Like the Browns, the Panthers also have ample needs up and down their roster, and they need to take advantage of every draft pick they own. That's especially the case with the No. 8 selection.
This would obviously represent a major opportunity for Cleveland to bag both Hunter and Sanders, but it just isn't going to happen. Not via this avenue with Carolina, anyway.
