Quarterback drama isn't new to the Cleveland Browns. There's a strong case to be made that this team hasn't had a true star at the position since Otto Graham, with solid stretches from Bernie Kosar and Tim Couch.
Of course, they've chased multiple franchise saviors over the past couple of decades, to no avail. That's why, when it comes to the projected 2027 NFL Draft class, fans can't help but dream about Arch Manning being Cleveland's next chosen one.
This isn't the first time a Manning has been tied to Cleveland. In a recent episode of the Bussin' With the Boys' podcast, Eli Manning revealed how the Browns wanted to trade for him after his entourage essentially refused to play for the San Diego Chargers, who had the No. 1 overall pick in 2004. Unsurprisingly, his camp didn't let him go to Cleveland, either:
"It's like the Saturday in New York, and (agent) Tom [Condon]'s like, 'Hey, I've got good news and bad news. San Diego wants to make a trade.' I'm like, 'That's great. That's the good news? What's the bad news?' He's like, 'It's to Cleveland, and we're not going there either,'" Manning said.
The Mannings will never let Arch play for the Cleveland Browns
If that's the way they acted in 2003, it's hard to believe they feel any different about the Browns 23 years later. Even if the Browns were to finish with the worst record or manage to trade up to get the No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft, there's simply no way Arch Manning will ever play a down for Cleveland.
The Mannings are NFL royalty. They're probably the most powerful family in the game, and they will certainly pull whichever strings needed to make sure Arch lands exactly where they want him to go.
They largely kept Arch out of the public eye for most of his high school career. They then chose to keep him at the University of Texas despite knowing he'd be the backup to Quinn Ewers. This year, he opted to remain in school despite having a real shot to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 draft.
The Browns may not have a franchise quarterback, and unfortunately, that could lead them all the way back to the top five in next year's draft. Early expert projections suggest that Arch will be the next in the Manning family’s line of elite quarterbacks, and he would obviously be a no-brainer pick for most teams.
Not for the Browns, though. Based on their history with the Mannings, it would probably be in the franchise's best interest to avoid a repeat of the NFL's 2004 draft drama.
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