The Cleveland Browns occupy a critical inflection point in the 2025 NFL Draft. We all know the Tennessee Titans will select Miami's Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick, but the Browns could venture down a variety of different avenues with their No. 2 selection.
Many will go to bat for Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, as the Browns desperately need quarterback help. Others will cast their vote for Penn State's Abdul Carter, a generational pass-rusher who'd wreck offensive lines alongside Myles Garrett for the next half-decade. And yet, the most likely candidate as of now is Travis Hunter, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and Sanders' favorite target in Boulder.
Cleveland has been circling Hunter for a while now. The fit is obvious; he's an elite cornerback who'd join a solid DB room. Plus, he can double as a productive wideout, giving Kenny Pickett (or whomever starts under center) a dependable big-play threat. We don't see very many two-way players in the NFL. Hunter probably won't play every snap like he did at Colorado, but he's good enough to break the mold and give the Browns genuine value on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
Should the Browns commit to Hunter with the second pick, their top priority immediately becomes finding a better quarterback to throw him the football. With all due respect to Pickett, there's a reason he spent last season as a backup. Cleveland's pickings are slim at this point in the offseason, but these names at least merit consideration.
3. Aaron Rodgers
This is out of left field, as there has been no reported interest between the Browns and Aaron Rodgers. As this offseason drags on, however, we cannot discount the possibility completely. Rodgers has been linked most heavily to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the lack of traction there feels notable. At some point, the Steelers or Rodgers could decide to move on independently of one another.
While Rodgers may opt for retirement over a contract with the Browns, this is an option Cleveland at least needs to consider. I'm not going to sit here and act like Rodgers is a fun guy to have in the locker room, but he's damn sure a better quarterback than Kenny Pickett. Even if it's a one-year bridge option, Rodgers at least brings some credibility to the Browns QB room. He's a proven winner, and he might be the only free agent who satiates Myles Garrett's demands for a better offensive fulcrum.
The Browns could seek a reunion with Joe Flacco, or even venture into Carson Wentz territory, but Rodgers is the "best" option left in free agency. What he has lost in terms of mobility, he can mostly offset with quick processing and a live arm. Rodgers knows how to lead a successful offense and the Browns have the infrastructure in place, particularly on defense, to win games in 2025. Adding Hunter to the WR room could be what convinces Rodgers to give the Browns a chance.
2. Kirk Cousins
This almost feels inevitable. The Atlanta Falcons don't want to start the season with Kirk Cousins on the roster, no matter how much posturing Terry Fontenot does to suggest otherwise. Michael Penix Jr. is the man of the hour in Atlanta and the Falcons needn't wallow in the Cousins distraction for any longer than necessary.
A trade will require the Falcons absorbing the majority, if not all of Cousins' remaining guaranteed contract, but it's worth it if Atlanta can squeeze draft picks out of a bad situation. Cousins led the NFL in interceptions (16) and fumbles (13) last season despite starting only 14 games, but the 36-year-old is supposedly in a better place health-wise ahead of the 2025 campaign. He also comes with baked-in respect around the league. Folks have long appreciated Cousins' quintessentially modern skill set.
He's not a runner, of course, but Cousins typically thrives out of play action and he's a perfect complement to offenses in the Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan vein. Cleveland presents a new challenge, both schematically and in terms of roster construction, but Hunter would give Cousins a big-play threat on the outside — and perhaps the confidence necessary to wave his no-trade clause and accept a relocation to Cleveland.
1. Jaxson Dart
I'm not necessarily a Jaxson Dart truther, but in a weak draft class at the position, the Ole Miss quarterback feels like the best value play. He is locked as QB3 on most boards behind Ward and Sanders, but Dart has been extremely productive in a challenging SEC environment. He led football's most talent-rich conference in passing yards (4,279) and completion percentage (69.3) as a senior.
It was not a seamless final season in Oxford for the 21-year-old, but Dart has a lot of quality attributes. He's mobile outside the pocket, comfortable running RPOs or scrambling when a play breaks down. Dart is one of the very best athletes at his position in the draft. He possesses a live arm and plenty of confidence when the pocket is clean.
There are concerns, of course, as Dart tends to get flustered under pressure. He can be slow to make his progressions and he will face a steep learning curve at the next level as a result. For Cleveland, however, Dart feels like the best bet outside the top-ranked quarterbacks to lead the offense long term. The Browns can't keep stacking bridge QBs until Deshaun Watson's contract expires. If Cleveland can find an acceptable trade package to move back into the first round for a second pick, Dart is a logical partner to Hunter as the Browns attempt to build a sustainable offensive infrastructure.