The Cleveland Browns control their own future with the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft, but that doesn’t guarantee the franchise is going to select a quarterback.
What the Browns decide to do in their pursuit of an affordable replacement for Deshaun Watson depends on whether the team wants to hold onto its top talent and continue trying to compete for a playoff spot over the next couple of years, or if the franchise is ready to pursue a rebuild.
If Cleveland decides to hit the reset button, then drafting a rookie QB in Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward makes the most sense. However, if the franchise wants to try to compete with what is already an expensive roster anyway, then making a play for a more experienced free agent who has shown recent signs of improvement is perhaps the better path forward.
Justin Fields of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the best option in that regard, assuming the Browns don’t want another one-dimensional veteran in his late 30s like Kirk Cousins playing on a one-year bridge deal.
“[Fields] showed a ton of growth on the field this season. The 25-year-old has always possessed elite scrambling ability, but he often struggled to recognize coverages, make snap decisions, throw with accuracy and get the ball out quickly during his time in Chicago,” Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report wrote on Wednesday, January 8. “The Browns hold the No. 2 pick in the draft, but they could consider adding Fields as competition for Deshaun Watson, who recently suffered a setback with his torn Achilles.”
Justin Fields Affordable Bridge QB to Either Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward
The Browns could very well sign Fields and also draft whichever quarterback between Sanders and Ward remains on the board at after the Titans make the first pick.
Fields is a more than reasonable bridge quarterback who is going to look to rebuild his value for a long-term deal in the near future. As such, he should be an affordable option for Cleveland with a market value of $8.9 million on a one-year contract in 2025, per Spotrac.
He is playing the final year of his $19 million rookie contract with the Steelers in 2024 after spending his first three seasons as the starter for the Chicago Bears. During his time in Chicago, Fields put up the second-most prolific rushing season of any QB in NFL history, logging 1,143 rushing yards and 8 TDs at a league-leading clip of 7.1 yards per carry.
Justin Fields Improved as Passer With Steelers This Season
Fields’ pocket presence and downfield awareness were lacking in Chicago, though both improved over a 4-2 start with the Steelers this season.
Fields accounted for 10 total TDs (5 in the air, 5 on the ground) and just 1 INT while completing nearly 66% of his passes before Pittsburgh decided to go with Russell Wilson instead.
Both players will be free agents in March, and Knox ranked Fields the 16th-best player in the class (regardless of position), just one spot behind Wilson at No. 15. They are the Nos. 3 and 2 quarterbacks, respectively, based on Knox’s rankings behind only Sam Darnold of the Minnesota Vikings.
If the Browns believe enough in Fields, they could sign him to a one-year contract and trade the No. 2 pick to a team like the New York Giants or Las Vegas Raiders in return for a massive draft haul.
Should Fields prove out, Cleveland could move forward with him on a long-term contract. If he doesn’t, the Browns would be in position to use the assets they acquire for the second pick to pursue a new option in 2026.
