The Cleveland Browns took the first step in revamping their quarterback room this offseason. They traded Dorian Thompson-Robinson to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Kenny Pickett. With Deshaun Watson expected to miss the entirety of next season, the Browns will need to add at least one, possibly two more signal-callers to the roster.
Whether that will be done through free agency or the draft remains to be seen. Kirk Cousins has long been a speculated name for the Browns, and if he was released by the Falcons, he should draw interest from Cleveland. As of right now, there is no guarantee that he will be available for the Browns.
There are, however, currently available free agent quarterbacks that the Browns can target.
Ahead of the start of the new league year at 4 pm, some of the available QBs remaining for the Browns:
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) March 12, 2025
Aaron Rodgers
Russell Wilson
Carson Wentz
Joe Flacco
Marcus Mariota
Mac Jones
Gardner Minshew
Free Agent QB Rankings for the Browns
5. Marcus Mariota
In the rare moments that the Washington Commanders had to rely on Mariota last season, the veteran QB held his own. He led them to a win over the Panthers in Week 7 after Jayden Daniels went down and did the same in the regular-season finale, thanks to a game-winning touchdown pass. He is not the most exciting name out there, but he is a competent veteran with a ton of starting experience. As a stopgap option for a year, he is not the worst option for the Browns.
4. Gardner Minshew
Minshew was just released by the Raiders after one season with the team. Unsurprisingly, he wasn't able to lift a dysfunctional Las Vegas offense in his nine starts there. The year prior with the Colts, however, he was one of the breakout stories of the season, leading them to a 7-6 record, throwing for 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions while adding 100 yards and three scores on the ground. Minshew is a high-floor, low-ceiling backup option for the Browns if they want to bring in a rookie quarterback.
3. Joe Flacco
Things didn't work out for either Flacco or the Browns after their breakup following the 2023 season. The Cinderella story that ended with a surprise playoff berth for Cleveland quickly turned into a nightmare last season. Even though his Colts tenure didn't go according to the plan, Flacco was fine in his six starts. At age 40, he would be a temporary fix, but it wouldn't be a bad move if the front office wanted to see if they could catch lightning in a bottle again.
2. Aaron Rodgers
A lot of Browns fans presumably don't want this, but there is no denying that Aaron Rodgers is only one of two surefire starting QBs left on the market. Yes, his Jets tenure was a disaster, and he comes with a ton of off-field baggage. At the same time, he has the highest upside of any player on this list. On a one-year, team-friendly deal, he wouldn't be the worst option.
1. Russell Wilson
It is very difficult to find starting quarterbacks in free agency. All the quality options are already gone, and the best remaining signal-caller is Russell Wilson. Even though he will turn 37 during the season, Wilson is still a solid option. He led the Steelers to a 6-5 record in his starts last season, and while he doesn't have the same athleticism he had in his prime, he still makes good decisions and rarely makes mistakes.