With the 2026 NFL Draft right around the corner, the Cleveland Browns and general manager Andrew Berry have found themselves at the forefront of the national headlines leading up to the highly anticipated event.
Berry and the front office have made it clear that they are willing to move down in this year’s draft, with teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins potentially being in the mix. But if the Browns do not find a suitable trade partner, the debate between selecting an offensive tackle or a wide receiver with the No. 6 pick will surely spark controversy amongst the fanbase. Luckily for the Browns, the answer could be simple.
According to Tej Seth on X, the value in percentage of the salary cap when taking an offensive tackle is much greater than selecting a wide receiver in the top-10 of the NFL Draft.
super interested to see if the browns go OT-WR or WR-OT in the first round
traditionally it’s better to take the OT top 10 and then the WR at the end of the first
the consensus big board has 3 OTs in the top 12 (mauigoa, feeling and fano) but only one of them play LT. if they… pic.twitter.com/C3Hlr170DU
— Tej Seth (@tejfbanalytics) April 10, 2026
What this means for the Browns
In summary, the “value in percentage of the salary cap” is an easy way to determine which positions provide more value to a team compared to the player’s costs. Out of all the offensive positions outside of quarterback, when looking at the top 10 picks, the data suggests that taking an offensive tackle is clearly far more valuable than any other position. Still, right behind the offensive tackles is the wide receiver position, as both will provide some of the best value for the Browns in 2026 and beyond.
However, one caveat to this debate is that there have been multiple star wide receivers selected in the top 10. While Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, the consensus top wideout, is a very talented prospect, he is not at the same level as other wideouts that were taken in the top-10 (Julio Jones, Ja’Marr Chase, etc.)
Looking at this year’s draft class, there are plenty of wide receivers in the later parts of round one that could be excellent options for the Browns. This includes Texas A&M’s Kevin Concepcion and Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., who are both expected to be selected in the mid-20s. The group of wide receivers, compared to the offensive tackles around pick No. 24, is a better fit for Cleveland, especially when considering the offensive tackles in this range played on the right side in college.
While the best-case scenario for Berry and the Browns would be to trade back in round one and accumulate more draft capital, the next-best option for the organization would be selecting its cornerstone left tackle with pick No. 6.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: How should Browns, Andrew Berry attack No. 6 pick in 2026 NFL Draft?