The Cleveland Browns may decide to bring in a veteran quarterback this offseason, and while it may not be exciting, a player like Marcus Mariota could make the most sense for what the team needs in 2026.
Right now, the Browns have three QBs on the roster - Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson, plus Bailey Zappe on the practice squad. This puts the team in an interesting position; are they going to be comfortable with that room, Sanders and Gabriel battling it out to be the starter, with Watson functioning as the emergency third-stringer and veteran presence? If the Watson ship has completely sailed, that's doubtful. Both Sanders and Gabriel will be second-year players, and neither performed anywhere near well enough to be the unquestioned starter heading into 2026.
Whether it's for legitimate competition or for a stable veteran presence, it makes sense to sign an older player - maybe not 40 years old again, but older. Someone who has been around, functioned as both a starter and a backup, and can provide decent QB play if and when called upon.
That's Marcus Mariota. The second overall pick from the 2015 NFL Draft didn't live up to expectations with the Tennessee Titans, but he's made a nice career for himself, playing for five different teams as both a starter and a backup. He's now 32 years old, but he's still a talented runner. Whether it's keeping the ball on a read option or scrambling for a first down, Mariota's legs are a legitimate threat. He ran for a career-high 438 yards in 2022 with the Falcons, and topped 250 yards in each of his four mostly-full seasons as the Titans' starter.