Why Fernando Mendoza is lucky Browns are not picking 1st overall in 2026 NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Browns are coming off a 2025 season where Myles Garrett broke the single-season sack record, and their rookie class showed up in a major way.

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Carson Schwesinger won Defensive Rookie of the Year, Harold Fannin Jr. was a great tight end in year one, while Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson were a great running back duo.

While the rookies and Garrett are some great building blocks, the Browns’ offense is bleak. With that in mind, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report highlighted how the Browns would be the worst landing spot for Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Why Fernando Mendoza is lucky Browns aren’t picking 1st overall

The Las Vegas Raiders are picking first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft and will almost certainly be taking Fernando Mendoza to be their new franchise QB. But what if the Browns, with their extra ammo, make a trade offer that’s hard to refuse?

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“Is there a chance that a team offers a trade package that the Raiders can’t ignore? It’s possible, and Mendoza had better hope that such an offer doesn’t come from the Cleveland Browns,” Knox writes.

Knox is making the point that the Browns are the worst landing spot for Mendoza this offseason. While the Raiders’ situation isn’t perfect, with some iffy wide receiver and offensive line rooms, the Browns are in a much worse spot.

“The Browns have arguably the worst receiving corps in the league, a running back in Quinshon Judkins who is coming off a severe leg injury, and a troublesome cap situation,” Knox writes.

More: Browns urged to rebuild entire offensive position group with six free agents

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Mendoza would be getting Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty, and Klint Kubiak in Las Vegas. In Cleveland, he would be getting a recovering Judkins, Fannin, and Todd Monken.

But, more importantly, the Raiders have a lot more flexibility to bring in talent on the offensive side of the ball based on a better cap situation. They don’t have a Deshaun Watson contract weighing them down.

Add on that Tom Brady will be with the Raiders to help Mendoza turn into a capable starter in the league, and the Raiders are the clear better option for Mendoza than the Browns.

Overall, Mendoza is lucky the Browns aren’t picking first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. If they were, Mendoza would join a team missing a lot of offensive linemen and one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the NFL.

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