Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Ty Simpson is rising up draft boards, but should the Cleveland Browns consider trading up for him?
- The Browns have two young QBs in Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, further complicating matters.
- But if the Browns are in on Simpson, they could make this trade with the Cowboys to pick just ahead of the rival Steelers, who also need a QB.
If your favorite NFL team needs a quarterback, this isn't the draft to find one – unless that team is the Las Vegas Raiders of course, which plan on taking Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. Beyond Mendoza, it's slim pickings, with Ty Simpson of Alabama rising above the rest as the second-ranked quarterback on most draft boards. But where could he end up?
Most reasonable mocks expect Simpson to land somewhere in the late-first round, perhaps via a trade. For example, the Jets and Browns could use their selections early in the first, only to trade back into the back half of the round and snag Simpson if they truly believe in him. From Cleveland's perspective, there are no real indications whether they like Simpson or not. If they do, a trade back into the first ahead of rival Pittsburgh is likely their best bet.
How the Browns could trade for Alabama QB Ty Simpson's draft rights
Simpson has his flaws, but in a league desperate for competent quarterback play, scouts are willing to overlook his sketchy finish his final season at Alabama and focus on the first eight games, where he looked like one of the best draft prospects in the country.
The Browns have plenty of young quarterbacks on the roster. They drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders just last April, with Sanders emerging as the likely favorite to start next season. But new head coach Todd Monken didn't make those selections, and Sanders hasn't been guaranteed a starting spot for a reason. There will be an open competition.
Let's say the Browns are intrigued by Simpson. If so, a trade with the Dallas Cowboys – which own the No. 20 overall pick in front of quarterback-needy Pittsburgh – makes the most sense.
The Browns could acquire Simpson by trading a Day 2 pick (No. 70) and a 2027 late-round selection. That's the cost of doing business in the NFL on draft day, even to move up four picks. In this scenario, the Cowboys know just how desperate the Browns are to find their next quarterback. It helps Cleveland has a second first-round pick to play with so they only have to move up four selections rather than trade back into the first altogether.
There are risks with taking Simpson. First, he's an inconsistent deep ball thrower with an arm that lacks much strength. He has a tendency to fall apart under pressure, and the Browns might not be able to protect him. There's a legitimate argument to be made he's not much better than Sanders and Gabriel, and at that point Cleveland should just wait until 2027 like most teams in need of a QB. But this is the Browns we're talking about. They tend to make bold moves, and aren't afraid to fail (as we saw just last April).
Should the Browns make this trade?
If I ran the Cleveland Browns, which I don't, I'd pass on a quarterback in this year's class. However, Andrew Berry quietly had a very good 2025 NFL Draft, so if he feels strongly about Simpson, then the Browns ought to take a chance. Yes, the trade will come at the expense of laughter from the rest of the NFL, but that doesn't make it the wrong choice. Sanders and Gabriel are unlikely to amount to much, no matter what Shedeur's massive fanbase thinks. Deshaun Watson should be on the outs eventually. So while there are quarterbacks on the roster, none are long for Cleveland.
Sanders and Gabriel are trade bait, too, meaning Berry can use them to acquire even more picks in 2027 and beyond as the Browns long rebuild finally takes a step forward.
Verdict: Possible, not probable
Should the Cowboys make this trade?
The Cowboys should make just about any trade that helps them acquire more draft capital. In dealing with Cleveland, Dallas would push back just four spots and gain a third-round pick (and a high one at that) on Day 2. As if that weren't enough, the 2027 sixth-round is the cherry on top, as front offices typically value picks from a year out highly.
The Cowboys have plenty of needs, including on the pass rush and inside linebacker. They are unlikely to fill all of those voids in one draft, but the more picks they accrue, the better their chances.
Verdict: Absolutely
Why the Browns would trade up in front of the Steelers for Ty Simpson
There is a slim chance the Steelers would select Ty Simpson with their first-round pick, but there have been some rumblings of Pittsburgh's offseason Will Howard praise as a smokescreen of sorts. Add in that Aaron Rodgers remains unsigned, and you can see why any team interested in Simpson may be weary of the Steelers at pick No. 21.
Should Rodgers choose to retire – or leave Omar Khan hanging on draft night, which is a possibility as well – the Steelers could be backed into a corner. Teams like the Browns and Jets have an excess of picks to play with for this very occasion. If, say, Berry is having a hard time reading the room, he can ensure Cleveland picks before Pittsburgh by dishing a couple of extra selections to the Cowboys in exchanged for the 20th overall pick.
The Steelers are just as desperate as the Browns for their quarterback of the future, though Pittsburgh doesn't show it nearly as much. That's the only reason Simpson is in play at 20, despite having a pretty thorough second-round grade.