Browns' Travis Hunter trade takes interesting twist after Dante Moore decision

Billy Heyen

•
Browns' Travis Hunter trade takes interesting twist after Dante Moore decision image

When the Cleveland Browns traded away the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and the right to draft Travis Hunter to the Jacksonville Jaguars, they had to have one position on their mind: quarterback.

They had to think that if they got a future first-round pick from the Jags (in addition to the picks that landed Mason Graham and Quinshon Judkins), they'd have the ammo to get a QB in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Either one of the Browns or Jaguars' picks would be high enough on their own, or they'd be able to combine them to trade up for a passer.

Now, though, that has taken quite the twist.

The 2026 QB class was once quite heralded. Now, it's depressing.

MIKE TOMLIN NEWS: What it means for Rodgers | TV future | Tomlin trade potential | Cignetti?

Dante Moore chose Wednesday to return to Oregon. Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is almost certainly going to go first overall to the Raiders.

After that? Oof.

Alabama's Ty Simpson, who is inexperienced and struggled down the stretch, is likely the QB2 in the class. He's far from a sure thing.

The Browns wanted that additional first to chase a franchise passer. Now, there's no one to chase.

Cleveland might try to trade away a first this year for a first next year, but there isn't really anyone with incentive to do that. The biggest trade up values come when teams want to move up for QBs. Again, everyone is looking at the same class. They'll all know next year will probably be better for quarterbacks than this year.

And so the Browns are stuck.

In the end, a return of Graham, Judkins and another first-rounder for Hunter may age just fine.

But it doesn't appear to have gotten Cleveland the franchise quarterback they may have been envisioning.

More NFL news:

Staff Writer