The Cleveland Browns still haven’t resolved their quarterback situation even after trading for Kenny Pickett, who has been told he will get the opportunity to compete for the starting job, likely with somebody else who isn’t even on the roster yet.
With the No. 2 pick in April’s draft and nine other draft picks after that, Cleveland has plenty of options if it wants to take a rookie quarterback at some point, which is perhaps part of the reason why they weren’t more aggressive in pursuing a veteran like Russell Wilson in free agency.
Mary Kay Cabot wrote in her recent article for Cleveland.com that the Browns never got close to signing Wilson because he simply wasn’t an apparent fit after he visited the team’s facility.
> “The Browns didn’t get very far down the road with Wilson because it become apparent after his visit to the team facility two weeks ago that it wasn’t a fit: they viewed him as a bridge, and he still views himself as a full-time starter for multiple years. Even though the Giants haven’t guaranteed him such an opportunity, they still signed him to a one-year deal worth either $10.5 million with incentives worth up to $21 million, more than the Browns want to pay for an older quarterback while they’re transitioning to a younger roster,” Cabot [said](https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2025/03/why-kenny-pickett-has-a-legit-shot-to-be-the-browns-top-veteran-bridge-quarterback-this-season-mary-kay-cabot.html).
Wilson instead opted to sign with the New York Giants and will have the opportunity to prove he isn’t just a bridge quarterback at this point in his career.
The draft will go a long way toward determining how the Giants view him, as he only got a 1-year deal, and if the Giants wind up selecting Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart with the third overall pick, it will make it clear that they view Wilson as just a bridge.
Wilson had an up-and-down season with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, and signing him likely wouldn’t have excited this fanbase much at all, at least not nearly as much as a rookie would.
Cleveland is still being heavily linked to Kirk Cousins in a potential trade, but the arrows are starting to point toward this QB room being Pickett and a rookie.
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