Grade the take: Just how horrible would Kirk Cousins be on the Browns?

The Cleveland Browns have a lot of questions surrounding the quarterback position. The Deshaun Watson era has been abysmal and after Dorian Thompson-Robinson replaced Jameis Winston as the starter to close the year, it’s clear the Browns are in a precarious position moving forward. 

The good thing is they have options. The bad thing is there’s no optimism they’ll make the right decision. They could one this April and turn toward the future. But that’s a gamble as Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward would still need to develop before we can really see their potential. 

The Browns have too many needs to take a gamble on a quarterback with the No. 3 pick. Their best bet may be to address those over a quarterback. Which leaves them with one other option and that’s to take a chance on a veteran in free agency. 

Could Kirk Cousins save the Browns from their miserable quarterback situation?

If the Browns opt to look in the free agency market, there’s quite a few options they have. While Sam Darnold might not work as they’re tight on the salary cap, they could look at someone like Justin Fields. 

They could get him on a minimum deal and see if he can show the same magic he showed early in the year. One name that’s circled around the Browns community is Kirk Cousins. That’s what Bill Simmons said he’s seen circulating in a subreddit.

Cousins was benched a couple of weeks ago after a horrid run that saw him throw nine interceptions and one touchdown over a five-game stretch. The Falcons went 1-4 and made their playoff push a bit harder during that stretch. 

He was paid an absorbent amount of money and didn’t even last a year – sound familiar Browns fans? The problem is, they could wait until the Falcons cut him and sign him to a minimum contract and use him as a bridge. 

But is he the right option? It could work with Kevin Stefanski’s relationship with Cousins, which goes back to the Minnesota Vikings, assuming Stefanski doesn’t get fired. He’d be a low-cost option that replaces Watson after an inevitable injury as he hasn’t had a healthy season yet since Cleveland resurrected his career. 

After this season though, it just feels like the best of Cousins’ career is behind him. His Achilles injury set him back further than he expected and after being run out of Atlanta, there couldn’t possibly be hope in Cleveland. 

Grade the take: C-

Why the Browns should look to free agency to address their next quarterback and not the draft

The draft would be an easy way for the Browns to find their future quarterback. The problem is it could backfire. They could draft Sanders or Ward and it not work out. It’s far less of a gamble to take a skill player or draft best available with the No. 3 pick. 

The other option would be to trade back and load up a few more picks in the process because, again, they have a lot of needs to address. That would be my best suggestion. 

That way, they can fulfill their quarterback through free agency. This would give them more freedom and less pressure. Whoever they sign would be a bridge player and not be looked at as a long-term solution. 

Best-case scenario, they get into a Darnold situation where whoever they draft could play themselves into a long-term contract. Worst case scenario, they’re right back and square one, looking for another option. 

The draft hasn’t worked well for the Browns in some time. Going after a quarterback this spring seems irresponsible. They have better options, especially since they’re re-committing to Watson for at least the next two seasons.