NFL free company: A veteran choice for Browns roster that shouldn’t be neglected

It simply so occurred that the Cleveland Browns made some quarterback historical past previously few years.

Within the 2023 season, the Browns tied an NFL for many beginning quarterbacks in a single season with 5, tying the 1987 New England Patriots. This previous season, Cleveland broke the report for probably the most beginning QBs in consecutive seasons by beginning 4, thus making the brand new report of 9 starters in two seasons.

Proud moments for the franchise little question.

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When QB Deshaun Watson went down with an Achilles tear final yr, this set in movement a brand new situation for the staff. Jameis Winston is a free agent and gained’t be re-signed having thrown eight interceptions in three video games. Bailey Zappe had one begin and could also be retained to compete for QB3 however he’s additionally a free agent. Drafted within the fifth spherical of the 2023 NFL draft, Dorian Thompson-Robinson (DTR) signed a four-year deal which suggests he’s beneath contract by way of the 2026 season.

Going into the 2025 coaching camp, the QB room is presently: DTR. And he isn’t thought of an NFL-starting caliber quarterback.

The Browns are devoid of a beginning quarterback. And a backup. Yikes. That’s like your girlfriend broke up with you and your emergency fallback girlfriend received engaged.

What kind of rabbit will Browns GM Andrew Berry pull out the hat for this example?

It’s virtually a certainty that Berry will draft a younger QB on this yr’s draft. He has to. DTR both isn’t the reply, won’t ever be the reply, or wants lots of time to develop. In any regard, in 2025 he almost certainly gained’t be the starter or the backup within the current future.

The thought course of right here is that Berry will signal a veteran who has loads of NFL begins and draft a younger buck who’s extra superior and a yr away from beginning who can compete in coaching camp and win the backup spot.

Rookie sign callers begin on a regular basis. Russell Wilson was drafted within the third spherical despite the fact that the Seattle Seahawks had signed Matt Flynn to an enormous three-year deal value $20.5 million as a free agent to be their starter. After the smoke cleared in coaching camp, it was Wilson who began Week 1 and Flynn was subsequently traded away after zero begins.

Which quarterback will Berry draft this yr?

In Spherical 1 on the prime of the draft, it has been rumored that the Tennessee Titans, holder of the primary total decide, are enamored with QB Cam Ward of the College of Miami. If for some purpose they choose one other participant, then Ward to the Browns may very well be the decide.

Should you analysis draft websites and their Large Boards, not all of them have Shedeur Sanders within the first spherical in any respect or on the again finish of Spherical 1. Nevertheless, Berry could also be in love with him and choose him with the second decide.

QB Dillon Gabriel

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If not, names that might make sense for Cleveland embrace:

Spherical 2, decide #33: Colorado; Jaxson Dart (6’-2”, 225 kilos) – Ole Miss

Spherical 3, decide #67: Dillon Gabriel (6’-0”, 200 kilos) – Oregon
Spherical 3, decide #94: Jalen Milroe (6’2”, 225 kilos) – Alabama
Spherical 4, decide #103: Will Howard (6’-4”, 235 kilos) – Ohio State; Riley Leonard (6’-4”, 216 kilos) – Notre Dame

Spherical 5, decide #165: Kurtis Rourke (6’-5”, 223 kilos) – Indiana
Spherical 6, decide #181: Tyler Shough (6’-5”, 225 kilos) – Louisville

First off although, the veteran

Fairly a number of names have been swirling across the pot, and some simply may be interesting to Berry.

Aaron Rodgers has the most important pedigree and is a first-ballot Corridor of Famer. Sure? No? Perhaps? Rodgers needs to be the highest QB on the free-agent checklist.

Subsequent up is Sam Darnold if the Minnesota Vikings resolve to not re-sign him. They usually simply might maintain him. After Darnold is Justin Fields, the backup QB with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wilson is subsequent adopted by Jameis Winston.

These are the 5 prime free-agent quarterbacks in the marketplace this yr.

Kirk Cousins #18 of the Atlanta Falcons

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Now, Kirk Cousins could also be launched from the Atlanta Falcons which might allow him to interchange a reputation on this checklist. Daniel Jones has been a risk. And the Los Angeles Rams simply may be fascinated by buying and selling Matthew Stafford.

However right here and now, let’s supply one more man. Somebody already acquainted to Browns followers. Coaches, too. Plus, the entrance workplace. A quarterback that has lots of expertise, has fairly a number of NFL begins, has been profitable as a beginning QB on this league, and is accessible.

First although, a little bit of an introduction.

This seasoned veteran has 12 years of expertise. He’s 6’-1” tall and weighs 215 kilos. He throws proper. He has 66 NFL begins and has performed in 80 video games.

This quarterback nonetheless owns eight NCAA information together with Most Profession Passing Yards with 19,217 and Most Profession Passing Touchdowns with 155. He’s the one faculty quarterback to ever eclipse the 5,000-yard passing yardage threshold in three totally different seasons. He gained the Sammy Baugh Trophy twice and was named the Convention USA Most Helpful Participant twice.

Since he has been employed within the NFL, he has handed for 15,175 yards, tossed 79 TDs with 51 picks, has a profession completion share of 62.3%, and has a profession QB ranking of 84.6. He has been sacked 131 instances. He has 150 rushes for 451 yards and added six scores as a runner.

He spent all of 2024 on IR after coping with a painful foot harm that prevented him from working at his regular capability. He had injured his foot in his staff’s closing preseason recreation towards the Rams with the ultimate cutdown day simply days away and the season opener one week forward.

This participant has management skills, he has toughness and intelligence. He’s additionally an unrestricted free agent.

Casey Austin Keenum.

What he brings to Cleveland

Keenum is undefeated as a Browns beginning quarterback. Yep: 2-0-0.

With Keenum being on IR all of final yr, he’s contemporary regardless of being 37 years previous. Not solely has Keenum been in Kevin Stefanski’s system whereas with the Browns, however the two had been collectively in that magical season with the Minnesota Vikings again in 2017. Bear in mind the house playoff recreation towards the New Orleans Saints the place the Saints cornerback whiffed on the sort out? That was a Keenum throw. And one other Vikings win.

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That yr, Minnesota completed 13-3-0 and captured the 2017 NFC North Division crown whereas incomes a first-round bye within the playoffs. Within the divisional spherical, the Vikings beat New Orleans 29-24 with 10 seconds remaining. That recreation has been coined the “Minneapolis Miracle.”

Throughout that 13-win season, Keenum accomplished 325 throws on 481 completions for 3,547 yards whereas tossing 22 touchdowns towards simply seven interceptions, and ended the yr with a 67.6 completion share and a 98.3 QB ranking. Stefanski was Minnesota’s QB coach that yr and could be promoted to their OC for the following two seasons.

Keenum is the reply to the Browns’ want for a beginning quarterback.

And he might stay the starter and groom whichever younger buck Berry drafts this yr till that participant is prepared.

Final yr with the Houston Texans, Keenum’s closing yr price towards the cap was $3.29 million. That’s low-cost. Again in 2020, he had inked a three-year, $18 million cope with the Browns to be Baker Mayfield’s backup. Signing him to an identical contract needs to be about proper and would turn into a wage cap-friendly settlement that gained’t harm Cleveland’s cap state of affairs.

There are those that imagine if the Browns had given Keenum the reins to the offense when Mayfield was injured within the playoff yr of 2020, that Mayfield would have returned the following season 100% and nonetheless be Cleveland’s quarterback thus eliminating sending all these priceless draft picks to the Houston Texans within the Watson commerce.

Keenum is a coach’s child. He’s a pure trainer. His management and mentorship skills would match proper in with grooming the brand new quarterback and convey him alongside on a gradual trajectory as an alternative of being thrown to the wolves like lots of younger quarterbacks are in in the present day’s NFL. That’s what harm Sam Darnold when he entered the league and now has lastly blossomed into a decent participant as an alternative of being a complete bust. It simply took expertise.

The place of quarterback takes time. The NFL is so many ranges above the faculty recreation and every thing comes at you tougher and quicker. Playbooks are huge.

Take a deeper take a look at the highest free-agent quarterbacks this yr.

Aaron Rodgers has had an astounding profession – simply not within the final two seasons. For all the proper causes, Rodgers would almost certainly not work out in Cleveland.

Russell Wilson might stay in Pittsburgh.

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Winston is an thrilling participant to look at and the Browns would rating 30+ factors per recreation like clockwork as Winston’s complete yards wouldn’t simply exceed 300 yards however prime 400 and virtually eclipse 500. He has all the time had this one dangerous behavior: he throws too many passes to the opposite staff on the worst potential time of the drive.

Sam Darnold has had one good season. Interval. If that appeals to Berry, then it does.

Fields simply will be the Browns’ reply and has lots of potential. One query: If he’s so good, why didn’t he begin for Pittsburgh this previous yr? That could be trigger for concern.

Keenum could be the Browns’ reply for his or her subsequent beginning quarterback. The brand new child Berry drafts would turn into the backup, and DTR and Zappe or one other title not but on the roster can struggle it out for QB3.

It simply is sensible. Signal Keenum to a two-year deal for affordable and let him lead the offense till the the brand new child could be able to take over.