"They just had no idea" - Colin Cowherd mocks Browns' Jimmy Haslam and Andrew Berry over Arch Manning scouting trip

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and general manager Andrew Berry visited the Texas-Ohio State game on Saturday to scout a potential future franchise quarterback.

They had entered the day thinking Arch Manning would prove why he was among the most highly hyped prospects of the 2020s but saw the opposite performance. The nephew of former NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning was intercepted once and committed two turnovers on downs against a touchdown as the top-ranked Longhorns lost 14-7.

Sportscaster Colin Cowherd mocked Berry and Haslam, saying that the Buckeyes' Julian Sayin would stand a better chance with the team:

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Also offering mockery was Ben Axelrod, senior editor at Awful Announcing:

Also in attendance was Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, who watched his first college football game since assuming the position in 2020:

Colin Cowherd discussed the possibility of Browns drafting Arch Manning before

This, however, was not the first time Colin Cowherd discussed the Cleveland Browns-Arch Manning links.

Quarterback instability has been an endemic part of the franchise since its reactivation in 1999, with no less than 40 players having started as of 2024. Only three times has the same quarterback started every game in a season.

Two of those instances came from Baker Mayfield, Cleveland's first pick in the 2018 draft, who proved himself a great boon and, in 2020, led the Browns to their first postseason appearance since 2002 and first playoff win since 1994. However, after a slump in 2021, he was dumped onto the Carolina Panthers in 2022 to make way for the legally embattled Deshaun Watson.

That move has proven disastrous, as Watson did not play until late in the season because of a league suspension stemming from his sexual conduct investigation. He was decent in 2023, going 5-1 before suffering a shoulder injury that took him out of commission, but then regressed to 1-6 in 2024 before tearing his Achilles tendon.

With him tearing that tendon again in 2025 and sitting out the season, the Browns entered panic mode. They drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders and brought back Joe Flacco, and even that may not be enough. Thus, the speculation surrounding Manning.

In an episode of "The Herd" last month, Colin Cowherd called such interest "the worst-kept secret in the South":

“The Mannings are royalty to Jimmy Haslam. Jimmy Haslam also loves headlines. So this is not a conspiracy theory, OK? The circle of trust for Jimmy Haslam is the Manning family and (super agent) Jimmy Sexton. Sabans, Manning, Haslam, South.”

The Browns begin their 2025 campaign against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET on Fox.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

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Edited by Andre Castillo