The Cleveland Browns have now dropped their last four games of the season after a close loss to the Buffalo Bills, and now own the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

With the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals left on their schedule, the likelihood of the Browns winning another game is low. And if the Browns lose out, their chances of earning the top pick in the draft are well within their reach. Given that the tiebreaker for identical records in draft order is not head-to-head matchups, but instead combined strength of schedule, the Browns hold the tiebreaker over every team picking in the top-10 right now.

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So, what needs to happen for the Browns to move up to the top of the 2026 NFL Draft board? We’ve got you covered.

What the Browns need to do to land the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft

For the Browns, this is quite easy: lose. If the Browns lose out the rest of the way, they are locked into a top-two pick. They will need some help, but the pathway ahead from the Raiders and Giants is quite simple as well.

What the Browns need from the Giants

The Giants need to beat the Raiders this weekend in their head-to-head matchup. There is a much better hope of the Giants beating the Raiders than there is for them winning their Week 18 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. That is, unless the Cowboys opt to sit Dak Prescott, as their playoff hopes are all but lost. So, for the sake of the Browns, the Giants beating the Raiders is the easier pathway.

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What the Browns need from the Raiders

The Raiders, as mentioned, play the Giants. The Browns cannot lose in this situation. However, the Raiders also play a winnable game in Week 18, which is why the Giants’ win in Week 17 would be a huge benefit to Cleveland. In Week 18, the Raiders take on the Kansas City Chiefs, who are now onto their third-string quarterback as both Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew have suffered season-ending injuries in back-to-back weeks.

If the Browns lose out, the Giants beat the Raiders in Week 17, then the Raiders beat the Chiefs in Week 18, then Cleveland will own the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. And they will likely use it on either Oregon’s Dante Moore or Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns path to the top of the 2026 NFL Draft board is quite clear