The uncertainty around the Cleveland Browns quarterback situation, combined with a free-agent market that had analysts projecting an outside veteran addition or an early draft pick, may not be as pressing as once believed.
Veteran Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot told listeners on 92.3 The Fan this week that Cleveland is increasingly likely to turn to a quarterback already in the building rather than pursue a splash external move.
"When I look at the veteran options, I don’t see anyone that I think that they would point blank right now decide that they can be better than what they can get out of Deshaun Watson or even Shedeur Sanders," Cabot said.
"I’ve been saying this for weeks and weeks that I don’t think Malik Willis is going to end up here… And then I just don’t know if Kyler Murray is going to give you more than what you think you can get from Deshaun right now."
With NFL free agency set to open with the legal negotiating window on March 9, and the 2026 NFL Draft just a month later, the timing of Cabot's comments is notable.
The team still technically owns Watson on the fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract he signed in 2022, the largest guaranteed deal in NFL history at the time.
At the same time, Cleveland has two younger options in Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. Both rookies endured predictable growing pains but flashed enough upside to warrant legitimate consideration.
Watson arrived in Cleveland via trade from the Houston Texans following three consecutive Pro Bowl seasons, but his tenure has been defined as much by off-field controversy as by injuries that have limited his availability.
Most recently, he endured multiple Achilles setbacks that required surgery and sidelined him for an extended period, developments that have materially altered Cleveland’s planning and intensified legitimate durability concerns.
With several key NFL dates approaching, pressure is mounting for the team to determine whether it will hand the reins back to Sanders in 2026, take another gamble on Watson's health, or invest in a new quarterback via free agency or the draft.
For now, however, Cabot's reporting suggests the organization believes its most viable option may already be in-house, a path that preserves draft capital and financial flexibility while signaling confidence in internal development.
That approach, though, is unlikely to silence a restless fan base that has spent weeks calling for a fresh start under center.
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