Most NFL analysts expect the Cleveland Browns to either draft a quarterback at No. 2 overall or pursue an affordable veteran in free agency as a one- or two-year bridge option.
However, there is another, more drastic possibility now potentially at their disposal.
Star defensive end Myles Garrett requested a trade earlier this month because he can’t see the team’s road map to playoff success in the near future. The haze of fog blocking that view is tied most closely to the quarterback position, where an injured Deshaun Watson will continue to languish at a ridiculous price point over the next two seasons without any real solution on the roster behind him as of now.
Yes, Cleveland owns the second pick in the draft, which guarantees the team a shot at either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward — or perhaps even both, depending on what the Tennessee Titans do at No. 1. But Garrett, a six-time All-Pro with north of 100 career sacks on his resumé, is heading into his age-30 season and doesn’t want to waste the last two or three years of his prime waiting for a rookie QB to develop and save what was a three-win team in 2024.
The same problem exists with the free agency options, just in a different form. Even if the Atlanta Falcons cut Kirk Cousins before March 17 to save $10 million, and the Browns are able to sign the four-time Pro Bowler to a league minimum deal — saving the second overall pick and cap space to help rebuild the rest of the roster — that move doesn’t ostensibly render Cleveland a contender in 2025.
However, if the Browns are desperate enough to spend the money necessary, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is testing the trade waters around the NFL.
Brows Must Invest 1st-Round Draft Pick, Huge Money to Acquire Matthew Stafford
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated linked the Browns to Stafford in a column that ran on Monday, February 24.
“The teams you’d suspect would have their hat in the ring have, indeed, thrown their hats in the ring,” Breer wrote. “The New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders and others have shown interest.”
The questions for the Browns, if they are truly serious about Stafford, are three-fold.
First, what will they have to give up to acquire the 37-year-old Super Bowl champion with nearly 60,000 passing yards to his name? Secondly, can Cleveland really stomach giving Stafford the extension he’s going to want, which is reportedly in the neighborhood of $50 million annually over another two or three years?
“What’s hard to know now, though, is what the Rams would be willing to take to part with Stafford,” Breer continued. “If it’s a first-round pick, would the aforementioned teams still be willing to do a deal at more than $50 million per year? And if that first-round pick is in the top 10, as is the case with three of the aforementioned four teams, would the Rams be willing to take a 2026 pick instead of one this year?”
ESPN’s Mina Kimes and Kevin Clark discussed on a podcast last week the Giants, who own the No. 3 pick, potentially executing a first-round pick swap with L.A. that brings back Stafford and the Rams’ No. 26 overall selection. Both Kimes and Clark agreed that they would make that deal in New York’s spot, so the possibility should also be there for the Browns at No. 2 if Los Angeles would be interested.
Browns Can Only Afford to Trade for Matthew Stafford if He Makes Them Immediate Contenders
The third question for Cleveland, and probably the most important of all, is does bringing Stafford in make them contenders with the roster they have right now?
If his presence can reverse Garrett’s line of thinking regarding his trade demand, then perhaps the answer is yes. The Browns’ defense was the best in the NFL two years ago and was a solid unit last season that could feasibly elevate again in 2025 with a few savvy additions and some injury luck.
However, the offense remains a legitimate question. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy came on after the trade of Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills and produced a career season of 90 catches for 1,229 yards and 4 TDs despite a relatively abysmal situation under center across a collection of different starting QBs.
But running back Nick Chubb suffered his second consecutive season-ending injury and may not be back with the team next year. The rest of the skill position talent is questionable or moderate, with some decisions coming in free agency.
The Browns have already been all-in financially for the last three years, ever since they traded three first-round picks to the Houston Texans then broke the bank to pay Watson. Making a trade for Stafford would take Cleveland’s financial situation to new, nerve-racking heights, which means the team must be certain it can win with Stafford and do so in a brief and immediate window.
