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Kyler Murray #1 could be a target of the Cleveland Browns
No matter how you look at it, from a Cleveland Browns perspective, the release of quarterback Kyler Murray by the Arizona Cardinals on Tuesday was good news. For a franchise desperate to find a new QB1, the more options that hit what is already a limited market, the better.
So even if Murray is not going to wind up signing on to play for Todd Monken and what the team hopes is a new-look offense in Cleveland, the fact that he will take up a spot somewhere among the quarterback-needy clubs across the NFL means there is the potential for the Browns to benefit.
And Murray will, indeed, take a spot, and he will do so cheaply, much as Russell Wilson did when he left Denver two years ago and signed a minimum deal with the Steelers. That’s because Murray is still owed $36.8 million guaranteed in 2026, and the Cardinals will pay that no matter what. Murray had another $19.5 million that would have been guaranteed for 2027 if he had stuck around through March 15.
Kyler Murray Struggled to Stay Healthy
The Browns could be the team that gambles on Murray. It would make some sense, given the fact that the team must pay out to Deshaun Watson this year and really needs a bargain alternative. If Murray were to come to Cleveland, he would only need to beat out Watson and last year’s two underwhelming rookies, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
At his best, that would be no issue for Murray. He was the Rookie of the Year Award winner in 2019, after he had been the No. 1 overall pick and appeared headed for stardom.
Alas, he struggled to stay healthy, and fears about his lack durability at his size and heft (he is 5-feet-10, and 207 pounds) appear to have been borne out. Murray has played in just 41 out of 68 possible games in the past four years and lost out on his starting job to Jacoby Brissett in 2025, after he initially suffered a foot injury.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders sent Todd Monken a curious birthday gift.
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders
Browns No. 4 on Odds List for Kyler Murray
According to DraftKings, the Browns stand the fourth-best odds in the NFL when it comes to landing Murray. The Jets, who are maybe even more desperate for quarterback help than the Browns just now, are seen as the top contender.
Per DraftKings, the top of the odds market for Murray goes:
Again, even if Cleveland does not cash in on those plus-450 odds, seeing Murray sign somewhere else would have an impact on the Browns.
For example, if Murray signs with the Dolphins, that is likely to take Miami out of the Malik Willis market, meaning his free agency could then come down to either the Jets or the Browns–and the Browns are definitely closer to having a winning roster than New York. Advantage, Browns.
USA Today Tabs Browns a Landing Spot
At USA Today, the Browns were tabbed among the top landing spots for Murray.
Here’s what the site’s Nick Brinkerhoff wrote about the possibility: “The Browns already have Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel on the roster going into the offseason, but none of them are tied to the new head coach, Todd Monken. The coach already admitted that he won’t name a starter at this stage, that the players will decide with their on-field performance.
“Monken, who was the offensive coordinator for Lamar Jackson with the Baltimore Ravens, has experience working with a mobile quarterback and getting the best out of him. Since Cleveland isn’t in a spot to draft a franchise quarterback, taking a flier on Murray might be the next best thing.”