Oh, it was all good just a month ago in Cleveland. The Browns had their golden ticket—the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft—and the dream of finally securing their franchise quarterback. Then, BOOM. Myles Garrett dropped a trade request that hit like a damn wrecking ball. The six-time Pro Bowler, fresh off another monster season, made it crystal clear: he’s done waiting on Cleveland to get its act together. He’s chasing rings, and he doesn’t see one in the Browns’ future. Now, Kevin Stefanski and the Browns front office are literally left scrambling, staring at a brutal choice: do they draft their next QB1, Cam Ward, or do they pivot and find a replacement for the man who was their entire defense? One thing’s for sure—Cleveland just got put in a chokehold by their own damn draft pick.
Enter Mason Graham, a 320-pound certified game-wrecker straight outta Michigan. You want a lifeline for losing Myles Garrett? This defensive linemen might just be the closest thing to Myles Garrett if Abdul Carter goes at No.1 for Tennessee Titans. Before ya’ll get mad, hear out. On February 20th, Steve Muench hopped onto Todd McShay’s podcast and went off when asked about his only ‘Tier 1’ player in this draft class.
“First of all, the tape speaks for itself. I’ll say that right away. I mean, we can do traits, but I just have to mention this—his tape was really good this year. If you go back and you look at the players that he played and the players that either got drafted or are going to get drafted, the year before when they won the national championship, and how he played against those players, he was the—he was the alpha. He was the dominant player in all of those tapes.”
And he’s not wrong. Graham dominated in back-to-back seasons, piling up 108 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks. The man even bullied Alabama’s O-line in the Rose Bowl, earning Defensive Player of the Game. That’s a DT you build a defensive line around. That’s a guy you take at No. 2..if you’re willing to leave your quarterback situation in shambles.
The original plan was simple—grab Cam Ward. In Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock draft, he’s the first QB off the board, slotted right to Cleveland at No. 2. And look, Ward is NICE. The Washington State and Miami Hurricanes product has the tools to be a problem in the league. Howitzer arm? Check. Poise under pressure? Check. Playmaking ability? Double check. Browns fans were ready to throw a parade. But that was before Garrett dipped, before that defensive line turned into a ghost town. Now? That pick just got a whole lot trickier.
Mason Graham over Cam Ward? Here’s the deal.
If Cleveland lets Cam Ward slide, there’s a real shot they grab Graham and secure the best possible replacement for Garrett. In Daniel Jeremiah Mock draft, the Titans low-key projected to take DE Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter at No. 1, which means the Browns would have the next-best defensive monster just sitting there for the taking. A perfect fit? Maybe. But it comes at a cost—because quarterbacks don’t exactly grow on trees, and this ain’t a class loaded with elite options beyond Ward and Shedeur. The Browns’ QB room is looking like a bad joke right now, and rolling into the season with Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, or Jameis Winston isn’t exactly inspiring confidence. They could go hunting in free agency, but let’s be real—if they pass on Ward, they’re kicking their QB problem down the road, hoping for a miracle in 2026.
Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry are staring down the biggest decision of their tenure. Go with Graham, and they might just salvage a defense that could’ve been in ruins. But that means putting their QB hunt on hold, and banking on either a veteran stopgap or next year’s draft. Go with Ward, and they’ve got their franchise QB—but at what cost? The Browns’ defense already struggled at times WITH Myles Garrett. Take him out of the equation? Whew. That’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Myles Garrett’s departure threw this whole offseason into chaos. The Browns and Kevin Stefanski had a clean, easy path—draft Cam Ward or Shedeur, get their QB, and move forward. But now? That path is looking shaky as hell. With a gaping hole in their defensive line, Mason Graham looks like the perfect safety net—320 pounds of brute force to keep Cleveland’s defense from crumbling. But snagging him means sacrificing their shot at a franchise quarterback, and that’s a tough pill to swallow. One way or another, the Browns are about to make a franchise-defining decision. Let’s just hope they don’t fumble it like they do usually.
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