As Andrew Berry hinted prior to the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns added another young quarterback to the mix.
In a somewhat surprising turn of events, they selected Arkansas' Taylen Green early in the sixth round — and the move should sound the alarm in Berea.
Green is undoubtedly the most athletic quarterback in this class. And while the turnover concerns are real and will most likely keep him off the field early in his career, the physical tools look tailor-made for head coach Todd Monken. Green might have a legitimate chance to climb his way up the pecking order in Cleveland.
Berry already ruled out the possibility of moving him to wide receiver, reaffirming the notion that they want him to play quarterback. At the very least, that should be the end of the line for Dillon Gabriel in Northeast Ohio, but Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders can't afford to rest on their laurels.
The Browns just added a QB with tools they can’t ignore
All signs point to the Browns adding a quarterback in 2027, but that could change. Shedeur Sanders could turn out to be great. Deshaun Watson could play his way into a new contract. Or maybe their new sixth-round pick will show just enough promise to enter the conversation.
Of course, turning the ball over 37 times over the past two seasons won't do Green any favors, and there are major accuracy and consistency concerns surrounding the Razorbacks' star. That can all be coached out of his game if he's willing to put in the work.
Green is the archetype of a dual-threat quarterback. He reportedly ran a ridiculous 4.36-second 40-yard dash with a 43.5-inch vertical. His athleticism, quick-twitch, and elusiveness make him an elite threat on the ground, as shown by his 29 missed tackles forced in scrambles in his final season in college.
He also has a knack for making explosive plays, be it by rolling out of the pocket and using his long legs or by testing the secondary with his bazooka of an arm. He can effortlessly rip the pigskin down the field, and he's always a highlight waiting to happen.
The Browns have started multiple quarterbacks way too many times in recent years, either due to injuries, subpar play, or a combination of both. Hopefully that won't be the case in 2026, but ruling Green out of the competition this early might be a mistake.
Monken clearly has a strong influence on everything the Browns are doing in the offseason. They're giving him the weapons he needs, but also the type of players he wants. He doesn't have any previous allegiances to any of the quarterbacks currently on the roster. Everybody should get an opportunity to, at the very least, show what they can do this summer.
If the Browns were going to take a chance on any quarterback in this class, it makes sense that it was Green. He's a menace with his legs like Lamar Jackson, and he has a cannon of an arm like Jameis Winston, the two last NFL quarterbacks Monken coached.
The Browns had nothing to lose at this point of the draft. They had already made eight selections. The sixth round is the perfect spot to target a developmental player at the most important position in sports. In an ideal scenario, he at least develops into an asset the team could flip or promote up the depth chart by Year 3 of his rookie deal.
The track record of Terrell Pryor-like quarterbacks isn't great, and clearly, not every sixth-round quarterback will be Tom Brady. Still, Green looks like Anthony Richardson minus the health issues and the work ethic concerns, and any team with questions at quarterback should definitely roll the dice on someone like him at No. 182 overall.
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