Another era of Cleveland Browns football came to an end Monday morning, well sort of. Kevin Stefanski got the boot thanks to an underwhelming offense that never recovered from the $230 million catastrophe named Deshaun Watson and a coach that became a scapegoat for back-to-back miserable seasons. The only time a two-time coach of the year gets fired from said organization is if it’s the Cleveland Browns.
That said, it was about time the team cut ties with Stefanski to let him move on to green pastures, while restarting the cycle of mediocre-at-best football. Not only does Stefanski’s firing mean the Browns are in the market for a new head coach, it also means the uncertainty around the quarterback position in Cleveland is even more amplified than it already is.
What does Stefanski's firing mean for the Browns QB situation?
Andrew Berry all but confirmed that none of the currently rostered quarterbacks aren’t guaranteed anything. Dillon Gabriel was a reach that looked as bad as you expected and Shedeur Sanders simply isn’t ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
So the Browns are looking for yet another prospective starter for the 2026 season – potentially the fifth different Week 1 starter since 2021. Here’s who the Cleveland Browns will ultimately need to look at as Sanders is possibly out of a starting job next year.
Andrew Berry on Shedeur Sanders: 'I think we saw a lot of progress with this year, mentally & physically. He's very much a work in progress. .. We're gonna do our work on the quarterback market. I can't tell you today if the starter in 2026 is internal or external.'
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) January 5, 2026
Mac Jones
This isn’t an attractive move, but none of the options are when you’re still paying Deshaun Watson nearly $50 million next season. That said, Jones looked respectable in relief of Brock Purdy this past season. In the eight games he registered a passing attempt this year, he threw for 2,151 yards 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. His role in Cleveland is simple: Don’t screw up.
Signing Jones is very similar to what the Jacoby Brissett season was (before Watson returned from suspension). The Browns are in the market for a bridge quarterback thanks to playing themselves out of the No. 1 pick to end the season. Jones isn’t the best option, but he’s one of the best ones they can afford.
Cleveland doesn’t have the luxury to pick and choose who they want to succeed Sanders. They have to take what they can afford and Jones will be affordable and serviceable until they can get Watson off the books and truly look at a real future.
Malik Willis
The problem with Malik Willis is he might be on the pricey side with how he’s playing. That said, if Cleveland can afford him, they’d be ridiculous to not try and sign him. He’s proven that he can be a solid bridge option as well in the interim. What’s intriguing about Willis is that he's an unproven commodity who's shown flashes of a starting-caliber QB. He could be a long-term option in the future, either in Cleveland or elsewhere.
Whoever the new coach will have the chance to essentially decide who they want to lead the Browns. Willis wouldn’t be the worst option, but he poses the same risk as most other veterans in that tying yourself to a veteran and it doesn’t work out, you put yourself at risk of a Robert Saleh situation.
Kyler Murray
Let’s have a little fun, shall we? The Arizona Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon, marking the second coach to get fired with Kyler Murray as the quarterback. At some point, the team has to decide if the quarterback is the problem too. If the Cardinals ultimately come to that solution and release Murray, the Brown could get him for a bargain.
Think Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones right here: Cheap veteran that could either buy you a year or turn into a long term option. Either way, Cleveland should be desperate enough to try just about anything to figure out their quarterback situation.