Colin Cowherd Is Convinced NFL Team Is ‘Punting’ 2025 Season For Arch Manning originally appeared on The Spun.
Colin Cowherd believes an NFL team is already looking ahead to 2026 in hopes of drafting a player who may not even leave college.
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The Cleveland Browns named Joe Flacco their starting quarterback, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter said he expects them to keep Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Kenny Pickett on the 53-man roster. Cowherd cited Schefter’s “increasing feeling” on Tuesday when questioning the team’s thought process.
The Herd with Colin Cowherd host said that move would indicate the Browns won’t put their best forward this season in hopes of landing a star quarterback such as Arch Manning early in next year’s draft.
“I’m not going to insinuate somebody’s tanking, but I do think there is a way to build a roster that doesn’t prioritize winning today,” Cowherd said. “Let’s say for a franchise in a tough decision that needs a star quarterback like Arch Manning. So you’re not going to tank in the NFL. But if you keep four quarterbacks, that means every Sunday you have three people that will not play.”
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Are Browns ‘quiet quitting’ this season?
Cowherd wouldn’t use the T-word to describe Cleveland’s 2025 intentions, but he suggested the Browns will operate the same way the Indianapolis Colts did when losing Peyton Manning the year before drafting Andrew Luck.
“You can’t tank in hockey or football. They’re too physical, but you can make roster moves that don’t prioritize winning Sunday,” Cowherd said. “Guy’s a little banged up: Why don’t you take Sunday off? You’re valuable to us, next year. It’s like quiet-quitting.”
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Meanwhile, the Fox Sports personality thinks Browns owner Jimmy Haslam already has his eyes on Manning.
“Jimmy Haslam wants Arch Manning,” Cowherd claimed. “Jimmy Haslam likes headlines … I get it.”
Feb 1, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; Radio personality Colin Cowherd broadcasts on radio row at the Moscone Center in advance of Super Bowl 50 between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-Imagn Images© Jerry Lai-Imagn Images
But wait, is Arch Manning even turning pro next year?
Punting the 2025 season for Manning would undoubtedly be a risky plan, as the Texas quarterback won’t necessarily leave college following his third year.
Archie Manning previously claimed that the five-star recruit plans to return to the Longhorns in 2026, but Arch Manning refuted his legendary grandfather’s comments on Tuesday.
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“I don’t know where he got that from,” Manning said. “He texted me and apologized about that. I’m just taking it day by day right now.”
Cleveland’s crowded QB room
How would Cowherd handle Cleveland’s quarterback conundrum? While he agrees with starting the 40-year-old Flacco, he encouraged the Browns to trade Pickett for a seventh-round pick.
Cowherd sees Sanders as the more talented rookie than Gabriel, but he still has questions about the fifth-round pick’s maturity.
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“I like what I see from Shedeur. But again, he’s kind of an unserious kid,” Cowherd said. “That bothers me a little bit. I’ve always said, I want my quarterback’s hat on straight. Boring, all business.”
Colin Cowherd Is Convinced NFL Team Is ‘Punting’ 2025 Season For Arch Manning first appeared on The Spun on Aug 19, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared.