“Poverty franchise” “All that to still go 6-11”: NFL fans react to Browns' stacked 2026 draft picks

The Cleveland Browns front office is under the microscope after racking up a massive collection of 2026 draft picks.

A retweet from ESPN’s Adam Schefter spotlighting Browns Director of Football Communications Dan Murphy’s breakdown on Wednesday ignited a wave of reactions from fans online.

"Poverty franchise Adam," one fan commented.

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"All that to still go 6-11 every year," a fan wrote. "Doesn't matter if you can draft talent and develop. Had Baker and didn't surround him with talent and dumped him for Watson," another fan wrote.

More fans reacted to the news.

"Can't wait to see how they squander these as well," one fan said. "They will fuck up all of them," a fan commented. "Browns setting up quietly for a big reload if needed," another fan tweeted.

Murphy’s post outlined the draft stash as of Thursday. Cleveland kept its first-through fifth-round picks while adding Jacksonville’s first-rounder from an April trade. The Browns also own three fifth-round selections acquired from separate deals with Las Vegas and Cincinnati. They also have additional late-round picks from Philadelphia and Seattle.

Cleveland’s draft wealth traces back to a series of trades stretching from draft night in April through early October. The Browns moved down from No. 2 to No. 5, selecting Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham and collecting multiple extra selections in the process. The same maneuver also delivered Quinshon Judkins from Ohio State and Dylan Sampson from Tennessee in later rounds.

Other 2025 draftees included UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger, Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr., Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

The 2026 NFL draft is scheduled for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, and the final order will be set once this season ends.

Deshaun Watson's contract drives quarterback focus for the Cleveland Browns

NFL: Los Angeles Rams at Cleveland Browns - Source: Imagn

The Cleveland Browns front office remains under the fallout from its fully guaranteed $230 million deal with Deshaun Watson. Still sidelined with an Achilles injury, Watson’s uncertain future continues to shape how the Browns evaluate quarterbacks moving forward.

The team is leaning on Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders as its developmental options, with Bailey Zappe on the practice squad. The rotation shifted again when Joe Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday in exchange for a fifth-round selection.

A day after Flacco's trade, Cleveland flipped cornerback Greg Newsome II to Jacksonville for defensive back Tyson Campbell in another move that shuffled late-round assets. The back-to-back deals preserved the Browns’ 10 draft picks for 2026.

Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez