Browns have ‘secret plan’ involving Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning, Alabama Crimson Tide football coaching legend Nick Saban

The Cleveland Browns aren’t content with any particular quarterback on their roster, which is evident by their ongoing four-way competition to see who will start the season under center.

But does the franchise even care if one of Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, or Shedeur Sanders works out?

Regardless of who has the keys to the offense, Cleveland is likely to be a basement dweller in the AFC and finish with one of the worst records in the league. That would put the Browns in a prime position atop the 2026 draft boards, with one prominent talking head suggesting that could be the organization’s master plan.

On a recent episode of his show “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd co-signed the narrative that team owner Jimmy Haslam is infatuated with star Texas QB Arch Manning.

This is the worst-kept secret in the South,” Cowherd said.“Haslam, a huge Tennessee booster, leans heavily on the Manning family. Saban’s also close to Haslam and the Mannings, and I’m told if he could land a top quarterback (like Arch Manning), he’d take a phone call from the NFL. The Mannings are royalty to Haslam. This is a poorly kept secret.”

It doesn’t matter what assets they wasted in the process.

If the Browns were able to land Arch and Saban, that would be a masterstroke.

Cleveland is a year away from being able to buy out Deshaun Watson and get his disastrous deal off the books, and could set up a spending spree in 2027 to add premium talent around Arch.

It’s hard to fathom Saban would return to the sidelines to spearhead a project, but he would arguably be regarded as the best coach in the history of sports if he were able to deliver the Browns a Super Bowl.