As expected, the Cleveland Browns traded down from pick No. 6 in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, it may not have been just because they had been shopping the pick for a while now, but because of what the Tennessee Titans did two selections earlier.
Out of the blue, Robert Saleh's team took Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate at pick No. 4. Most of the pre-draft intel had the Titans going either with a defensive player or with running back Jeremiyah Love. With Love no longer available, they went with the consensus No. 1 wideout on the board instead.
That may have changed everything for what Browns general manager Andrew Berry had in mind, thus making it easier for him to justify a trade down to No. 9 with the Kansas City Chiefs. Moreover, that also means they'll have to wait until late in the first round to find their wide receiver, as the Browns made Utah's Spencer Fano the first offensive lineman off the board.
At No. 9, the #Browns select #Utah OT Spencer Fano -- the selection they would've made if they had stuck at No. 6.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2026
Their entire offseason has been about beefing up their O-line.
How Carnell Tate’s selection reshaped Cleveland’s entire approach
With Tate no longer available, the Browns did the right thing by addressing the offensive line first. Jordyn Tyson was the only other wide receiver worthy of going inside the top 10, but it's also understandable to have some doubts about his health and durability issues. He may go off in New Orleans, who made him the No. 8 overall pick, but the risk was just too big.
The Browns needed to address their other primary need for this draft. By taking Fano, they finally rounded up a group that underwent a full overhaul earlier in the offseason, adding more youth to a brittle, aging unit. Even if there are concerns about whether he'll be a guard or a tackle, his ability to climb and block in the open field is tailor-made for Todd Monken's offense.
This may not have been the flashiest pick, and it certainly hurt that the Browns didn't get the prime playmaker they needed early, but it's not like they won't have options. As many as six wide receivers drew first-round grades this season, most of whom should be available by the time Cleveland is back on the clock at pick No. 24 overall.
A big part of succeeding in the draft is finding value, and if it isn't there, maximizing the pick makes perfect sense. Doing so if Tate was still on the board would have probably been a mistake, but if the Browns felt that they could still get one of their guys just three picks later, this was actually solid asset management.
The Chiefs used the Browns' pick to get CB Mansoor Delane, a somewhat surprising decision, given that he was projected to be available for them at No. 9. He might turn out to be an All-Pro-caliber defender, but it's hard to believe the Browns will regret moving down from their original spot at No. 6.
Sometimes, it's obvious that a decision will come back to haunt a team, but this may not necessarily be the case, even if it wasn't the outcome most fans expected.