Super Bowl week is officially over, which means the 2025 offseason is now in effect for every NFL team. Although the new league year doesn't begin until March 12th, the Cleveland Browns organization is having thorough conversations on how to keep Myles Garret happy and what to do at quarterback in 2025.
The latter of the two was discussed during NFL Network's pregame show for the Super Bowl on Sunday afternoon. Senior insider Tom Pelissero reported that the Browns may not only look in the draft for a quarterback, but they may also sign a veteran like Kirk Cousins or Daniel Jones. While this idea has been floated by fans and analysts, Pelissero 's report confirms the theory.
NFL Network analyst @TomPelissero says watch out for Daniel Jones or Kirk Cousins to the Browns.
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) February 9, 2025
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/C4PNddzPCw
Browns Could Add Daniel Jones or Kirk Cousins in the Offseason
Adding either of these two quarterbacks could end up being another mistake at the most pivotal position for the Browns. This past season, Cousins struggled with the Atlanta Falcons, coming off of a torn Achilles. In 2024, Cousins completed 66.8% of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. Ultimately, a stretch of nine interceptions in five games led to the Falcons' bench in Cousins.
As a result, Cousins' status within the Falcons organization is up in the air. Many believe the team could move on, but owner Arthur Blank has stated he is ok with keeping Cousins as a backup. That said, if Cousins does become available, the Browns making a move on him could be repeating the same mistake.
Even though Cousins will be significantly cheaper than Deshaun Watson, expecting a veteran who is a year removed from a catastrophic event, in this case, an injury, to improve the team is dangerous. Sure, Cousins could return to form in 2025, but the more likely outcome is that he will look like he did in 2024.
Jones, on the other hand, could be an even bigger risk. Sure, Jones had a decent season in 2022, completing 67.2% of his passes for 3,502 yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions while adding another 708 yards rushing. Since then, Jones returned to being a below-average starter, leading to the New York Giants cutting him during the 2024 season.
After leaving New York, Jones signed with the Minnesota Vikings practice squad, meaning he spent the second half of 2024 with Kevin O'Connell. Though the effects of Jones spending time with O'Connell have yet to be seen, there is a chance that the reset helped him improve.
Even so, Jones could continue to be the same quarterback, which means the Browns would continue to struggle in 2025. Nevertheless, Cleveland must figure out if Cousins, Jones, or another veteran provides them the best chance to win games next season.