The Cleveland Browns seem to be putting a ton of their eggs into one basket in free agency. They haven't signed any starting quarterback talent yet, and there's been no indication that they're looking to re-sign Jameis Winston back to another deal.
And, much to the dismay of Browns fans, the team's only quarterback move has been to trade for Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles, and in exchange they sent away Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a 5th round pick to get back the Eagles' backup.
So, as of now, the only quarterbacks rostered are Pickett and Deshaun Watson. Nightmarish.
However, free agency isn't over, and there's still some talent out there at quarterback that could be the veteran bridge quarterback signal caller that the Browns seem intent on landing this offseason. If that person isn't Kirk Cousins, then these are four other options they can entertain.
4 quarterbacks Browns can pursue if Kirk Cousins isn't available
Joe Flacco
A familiar face who made something out of nothing in 2023 for the Browns, Flacco is still a free agent. He's getting up there in age, hitting 40 years old at the beginning of 2025. His success also had a once in a lifetime feel to it, with Cleveland pretty set to fail in 2023 and miraculously not doing so thanks to some big time games stringed together by the veteran signal caller.
Cleveland shouldn't, actually, re-sign Flacco as their bridge quarterback. He's best suited as a backup to another QB, not the starter that a rookie ends up sitting behind on the bench. His lackluster year with the Indianapolis Colts should be proof of that.
Mac Jones
The Jacksonville Jaguars just signed Nick Mullens to the team, and he'll likely be Trevor Lawrence's backup in 2025 - not Mac Jones, who is a free agent this offseason. He'd be a completely middling signing for the Browns this offseason, as he has starting experience between his time with the New England Patriots and Jaguars. He's just never succeeded consistently as a starter in the NFL.
Read more: Mac Jones to Browns feels imminent with latest Jaguars free-agent signing
Could head coach Kevin Stefanski fix him? It's possibly worth a gamble, at least as a backup signing. But, if he were to be the teams' Week 1 starter, you shouldn't expect him to remain the starter for long.
Marcus Mariota
Update: Marcus Mariotahas signed a new dealwith the Washington Commanders
Mariota is a signal caller that we've yet to see connected to the Browns this offseason. That's surprising since it feels like any 30 year old or older quarteback who is a free agent is connected to them.
Nonetheless, Mariota would bring genuine veteran NFL experience to the QB room as someone who has been through the ringer and has found himself as a perfect guiding voice to whoever the Browns draft this April. If he started, similarly to Jones, you shouldn't expect him to remain the starter throughout the entire year.
Jameis Winston
This is not the most fun option for Cleveland after seeing how poorly Winston did down the stretch for them in 2024, but it'd be smart for them to consider bringing Winston back since he's so familiar with their roster and playbook. He can likely be had for another one-year deal, and he can, at least briefly, be a starter in the NFL.
Winston's inability to protect the football could be potentially helped with more reps at starter in addition to greater protection in the pocket. Getting an additional weapon in the draft on offense to help him could go a long way, too. This is a deep running back class, and the Browns would be smart to invest in that part of their offense if Winston is back starting.
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