After an impressive postseason run the year before, the Cleveland Browns stumbled to three wins in 2024. It was an embarassing letdown, and the path forward is unclear. General manager Andrew Berry is left with the No. 2 overall pick, a burdensome Myles Garrett extension, and zero functional quarterbacks — all with a mandate to get back to the playoffs as quickly as possible.
Priority No. 1, of course, is addressing the quarterback conundrum.
Deshaun Watson is down for the count with a double-torn Achilles, and even when healthy, the dude just isn't good enough to serve as Cleveland's QB of the past, present or future. After letting Jameis Winston walk and swapping backup QBs with the Eagles, Cleveland's only (healthy) signal-caller on the roster right now is Kenny Pickett. That won't cut it for a team with postseason aspirations.
The Browns have a couple potential solutions at their disposal. One is the NFL Draft. That second overall pick could land them Shedeur Sanders, one of college football's most proficient long-range bombers. Or, Cleveland can turn to a tepid trade market, where one option stands clearly above the rest: Kirk Cousins.
It feels like the Atlanta Falcons have been circling the Browns as a potential Cousins trade suitor for months. Last season was an unmitigated disaster for the 36-year-old, but Cousins' pedigree (and the promise of better health) leaves room for optimism in 2025. Plus, he surely can't be worse than Kenny Pickett.
Cousins, however, has a bit of leverage thanks to his no-trade clause. That puts the Browns in a bind.
Browns' Kirk Cousins dream feels shakier than ever ahead of NFL Draft
While the Falcons could trade Cousins before the draft, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer notes that Cousins would prefer to see how the draft plays out before deciding on his new NFL home. It sounds like he does not want to get Michael Penix'd twice in a row.
"After sitting in on Falcons owner Arthur Blank’s media session at the owners’ meeting, I still think a trade of Kirk Cousins is possible for draft weekend," Breer writes. "As we’ve said, Cousins would rather see what teams do in the first round of the draft before accepting a trade. And he can make it so, since he has a no-trade clause in his contract."
That leaves Cleveland without much clarity. The mounting suspicion is that Travis Hunter will be the Browns' selection at No. 2. That ought to excite Cousins, as it gives him a potential top target in an otherwise bleak Browns WR room.
On the other hand, the Browns don't know Cousins' intentions. He might not want to play in Cleveland. He could prefer, say, Pittsburgh. Or New Orleans. Or New York. Other QB-needy teams exist. Maybe the Falcons don't trade him. There are too many variables on the table.
If Cleveland passes on Shedeur Sanders with the second overall pick, then it fails to land Cousins, what are the alternative options? Pretty much zilch. We get into Carson Wentz territory at that point. God forbid, Andrew Berry places a phone call to Aaron Rodgers. The QB market has just about petered out. It feels like Cousins or bust for the Browns, which is why it behooves Cleveland to get this wrapped up as soon as possible.
Cousins led the NFL in interceptions (16) and fumbles (13) last season, so just remember that we are already scraping the bottom of the barrel. While Cousins with a full offseason to recuperate is tantalizing as a concept, there's a nonzero chance he is simply cooked. The Browns are out of good options, unless you're sold on Sanders as a top-two pick. That is certainly the highest-upside option at Berry's disposal.
So, unless Cousins relents and approves a trade to Cleveland before knowing their NFL Draft fate, the Browns risk hitting a roadblock.