NFL Mock Draft: Browns within striking distance for elite QB after Week 9 loss

Jameis Winston threw for three touchdowns in Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens in his first start for the Cleveland Browns this season. He was beginning to feel like the perfect veteran to slot in for the rest of the season and the perfect quarterback to have on a push that seemed very unlikely prior to Week 8 and the Browns' win over the Ravens - a push for the playoffs.

In Week 9, Winston had the complete opposite performance, throwing for three interceptions and one - albeit cool - touchdown in garbage time. He was shaky, inaccurate, and slow with his decision making. Suddenly, his play looked very familiar to that of the Browns' former starting quarterback who was ruled out for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury.

So, back to the draft board for Cleveland - at least, that's what they should be doing after Week 9 as they head into a trade deadline on Nov. 5 and a bye week for Week 10. The draft will be the best way for this team to rebuild after an assumed strip down, and as the team's offensive line and wide receiving corp becomes older.

Read more: Flaws for the Browns secondary exposed in Week 9 against Chargers

This season, the Browns finally have a first rounder back, and the team actually has a shot at taking one of two elite quarterbacks likely to head to the NFL Draft in 2025 - Cam Ward out of Miami and Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado. Both are going to be off the board quickly, so it's safe to say Cleveland would have to lose out - or get close to that - to try and land either player. After their Week 9 loss, the Browns find themselves picking 4th overall. Assuming Colorado's Travis Hunter gets picked first, they can end up with either Sanders or Ward by the fourth pick.

Sanders is a senior, but that may not stop him from potentially pulling an Eli Manning and immediately asking for a trade to a different team if he landed with the Browns. Sanders' father and the head coach of the Buffaloes Deion Sanders may not love the idea of his son and star quarterback headed to a team with a poor offensive line in place.

As for Ward, his arm talent could end up fitting beautifully with the Browns' offensive schemes from Kevin Stefanski and Ken Dorsey - assuming either or both will still be around next season. Ward, a Heisman candidate just like Sanders, has been on a tear. He threw for five touchdowns in a Nov. 2 game between the Canes and the Blue Devils and currently holds a 29-6 touchdown to interception ratio on the season.

Either QB would immediately reset this team and elevate the ceiling of Cleveland long term. But, and maybe most importantly, it's a surefire way to be able to replace the expensive contract of Deshaun Watson with a rookie on a smaller contract that has more to offer. Quarterback is just the start for the Browns and what they need to actually acheive a successful rebuild, but this draft is the best one to start with at that position.