NFL Week 9 schedule: Browns rooting guide including 2026 NFL draft positioning

The Cleveland Browns are regrouping in Week 9, while on their bye, as the NFL trade deadline looms in just a couple of days. The big rumors surround DE Myles Garrett, although a report was definitive that he is not going anywhere, and TE David Njoku, among others.

A season that had a little bit of hope before it started, despite the team seemingly tanking, has now turned into what most Browns fans are used to: All about the next NFL draft.

Currently, Cleveland has 10 picks in the 2026 NFL draft and a few extra in the following season.

Browns future draft picks

• Their own selections in Rounds 1 through 5, with that first-round pick currently projecting to be a high one.
• A first-round pick courtesy of the trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars on draft night.
• A fifth-round pick from the Raiders as part of the Pickett trade.
• A fifth-round pick from the Bengals as part of the Flacco trade.
• A seventh-round pick from the Jaguars as part of the Newsome trade.
• A seventh-round pick from the Seattle Seahawks as part of the 2024 trade for center Nick Harris.

Heading into Week 9, Cleveland’s draft positioning is looking good (while the season isn’t), and the selection from the Jaguars could get better with Travis Hunter’s injury.

2026 NFL draft order after Week 8: Top 20

1. New Orleans Saints
2. New York Jets
3. Tennessee Titans
4. Cleveland Browns
5. Miami Dolphins
6. New York Giants
7. Baltimore Ravens
8. Las Vegas Raiders
9. Arizona Cardinals
10. Cincinnati Bengals
11. Washington Commanders
12. Atlanta Falcons (Goes to the Los Angeles Rams)
13. Minnesota Vikings
14. Houston Texans
15. Dallas Cowboys
16. Carolina Panthers
17. Chicago Bears
18. Jacksonville Jaguars (Goes to the Browns)
19. Pittsburgh Steelers
20. San Francisco 49ers

A reminder that Strength of Schedule, not head-to-head matchups, is the primary tiebreaker for NFL draft positioning. In the middle of the season now, SOS will change significantly after the trade deadline, but it will be something we focus on late in the season.

With NFL playoff hopes very low, but not the worst due to the struggling AFC North, we now focus on what Cleveland fans will want to see with this week’s NFL schedule related to the draft.

Browns Week 9 Rooting Guide

• Saints over the Rams
• Titans over Chargers
• Giants over 49ers
• Raiders over Jaguars – This is a two-fer for Cleveland, with Las Vegas only having two wins as well
• Cardinals over Cowboys – Another two-fer, but for different reasons for the Browns. Arizona only has two victories and a Dallas loss could see Jerry Jones sending as much as possible for Garrett in a trade

If everything goes smoothly, Cleveland would only move up one spot with their selection because the Dolphins’ loss on Thursday Night Football leaves them with a worse overall record, for now. A Jacksonville loss would...