Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns "have always planned on going for a quarterback in the upcoming draft" independent of the health status of quarterback Deshaun Watson, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini.

Russini reported on her Scoop City podcast that picking a quarterback "is something that they've been focused on and adding a quarterback to that quarterback room is all part of the Cleveland Browns' plans."

Watson was limited to seven appearances in 2024 before rupturing an Achilles tendon. An injury that serious always has a lengthy recovery period, and Watson's status for the start of the 2025 season may not be a given after he experienced a setback in his rehab.

Echoing what Russini reported, general manager Andrew Berry indicated he's looking to bolster Cleveland's depth at quarterback regardless of where Watson is health-wise.

"It probably goes without saying that to reach that level of consistency, we have to have consistent availability and consistent performance at the QB position, as well," he told reporters. "And that's something that's been elusive for us for the past couple seasons. And that's something that we have to be able to fix and remedy."

At this point, it feels safe to assume Watson is never going to return to the heights he reached with the Houston Texans. In his three years with the Browns, he has averaged 177.1 passing yards per game and has 19 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. The three-time Pro Bowler has also played in just 19 games due to a combination of injuries and his 2022 suspension.

Cutting Watson now is out of the question because of the implications it would have on the Browns' salary cap situation. But the franchise shouldn't feel beholden to keeping him as the starter for the sake of the optics—he'd be the most expensive backup in NFL history.

By virtue of having the No. 2 overall pick, Cleveland can get the young franchise QB it desperately needs. Watson shouldn't factor into the front office's calculus much, if any at all, when it comes to a draft strategy.

Andrew Berry said Monday he was "embarrassed" to see the Cleveland Browns finish his fifth season as general manager with a 3-14 record.

Berry was also blunt in his assessment of his decision to acquire starting quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans in 2022.

Despite those disappointments, Berry said he did not necessarily plan on completing overhauling the Browns roster this offseason.

"I don't envision an offseason where we're moving on from a ton of core players," Berry said. "I do expect there to be some turnover on the roster, but the idea that we would get rid of some of our cornerstone players, I don't necessarily see that as a viable path."

That roster continuity might not extend to the quarterback position. Berry said Watson had suffered a "setback" that would prolong his recovery from a season-ending Achilles injury.

Berry was hired by the Browns ahead of the 2020 season. Cleveland finished the campaign 11-5 and won a playoff game before getting bounced in the divisional round.

The Browns have not reached that level of success since signing Watson to a five-year, $230 million contract following the 2022 trade.

Watson's inconsistent play and missed time since then has led the Browns to start seven different quarterbacks over the last two seasons.

Cleveland holds the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, which could lead to the team using that selection to draft a new quarterback.

The Browns fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and offensive line coach Andy Dickerson following the regular season finale. Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski are expected to remain with the team in 2025, per NFL.com.

The Cleveland Browns could be without quarterback Deshaun Watson for longer than originally anticipated.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Browns general manager Andrew Berry announced on Monday that Watson suffered a setback in his recovery from Achilles surgery. While Berry said it's not yet clear how this will impact Watson's recovery timeline, he also didn't rule out the possibility of additional surgery for the signal-caller.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that Watson "alerted the medical staff during his exit physical on Sunday that something didn't feel right." Berry was unable to answer whether the 29-year-old would be ready to play at all during the 2025 season.

When asked how Watson's setback impacts the Browns' quarterback plans, Berry said, "I wouldn't say it has a significant impact" before adding, "The reality is that the room will look different next year." The team will have the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, giving it the chance to add a quarterback of the future as Watson's successor.

Watson suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in Cleveland's Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals and underwent surgery on Oct. 25. The Browns went 1-6 in games he started before finishing the year with a 3-14 record. In his brief time on the field, he threw for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions while adding a rushing touchdown and tying his career high with three lost fumbles.

Watson has two years remaining on his fully guaranteed $230 million contract and will be making $46 million per year, but Cleveland recently restructured his deal to add another void year in 2029 and spread out the salary-cap hit.

Kevin Stefanski will return as the Cleveland Browns' head coach in 2025, but the team is already shaking up its coaching staff after a disastrous 3-14 season, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Pelissero reported Sunday that Cleveland has fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and offensive line coach Andy Dickerson, both of whom were hired last offseason.

The Browns have one of the worst offenses in the league. They're averaging the fewest points (15.2) and fifth-fewest yards (300.8), and that's unacceptable any way you cut it for a franchise that had such high ambitions coming into the campaign.

Having said that, it's not as though Dorsey was dealt a great hand from the start.

Simply put, the Deshaun Watson trade has been a failure on a historic scale for the Browns. He has made just 19 appearances through three seasons and when he has been healthy, his performance has been much worse compared to his peak with the Houston Texans.

Pretty much any offensive coordinator would have a hard time getting something out of this version of Watson. Then Cleveland cycling through Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe after the three-time Pro Bowler suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.

Compounding matters, running back Nick Chubb missed the first six games while recovering from a torn ACL and meniscus in 2023 and was out for the last three weeks after breaking his foot.

Ultimately, the marriage between Stefanski and Dorsey may have been imperfect from the start.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Daniel Oyefusi detailed how firing Alex Van Pelt as OC and hiring Dorsey "was curious to people inside the building and out." The personnel move represented a major shift in playing styles, particularly a pivot toward opening up the passing game and trying to play to Watson's strengths.

"The changes did not bring out the best in Watson or the Cleveland offense, which looked caught between two worlds," Fowler and Oyefusi wrote. "Watson struggled mightily as the season began, missing open targets and looking uncomfortable in the pocket. The Browns never reached 20 points in Watson's seven 2024 starts—all games in which Stefanski, not Dorsey, called the plays—and the quarterback was last in QBR (23.5) by a wide margin, looking up at the Titans' Will Levis (27.0) at the bottom."

From that standpoint, letting Dorsey go is understandable and perhaps warranted.

But having a third different offensive coordinator in as many seasons rarely looks good for a head coach, and it underscores the level of urgency within the entire organization.

Leaving the Watson trade and its consequences aside, two playoff appearances in five years isn't a great return from the Stefanski era. He probably has one more staff reshuffle left before he's the one who will be held accountable for whatever struggles Cleveland continues to endure on the field.

The Cleveland Browns will extend their NFL record for quarterback turnover heading into Week 18.

Bailey Zappe will become the Browns' NFL-leading 40th starting quarterback since 1999 when he starts on Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Bears rank second over that span with 30 different quarterbacks, per Evan Kaplan and Schefter.

The Browns lost Deshaun Watson to a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 7. Since then the franchise has turned to Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson before handing the ball to Zappe for the season finale.

This marks the third time the Browns have turned to other quarterbacks for the majority of a season since guaranteeing Watson $230 million on a five-year deal.

Thanks to a suspension and two season-ending injuries, the Browns have turned to eight starting quarterbacks other than Watson since that contract kicked in ahead of the 2022 season.

That includes four signal callers during the 2023 season alone. Joe Flacco, P.J. Walker, Thompson-Robinson and Jeff Driskel all got starts last winter as the Browns became the first team in NFL history to back the playoffs behind at least four different starters.

The Browns re-joined the NFL in 1999 with Tim Couch under center. Since Couch, only three quarterbacks (Derek Anderson, Colt McCoy and Baker Mayfield) have served as the team's top passer in consecutive seasons.

Only Mayfield led the Browns' passing game for at least three campaigns. He held the honor for four seasons prior to his 2022 trade to the Carolina Panthers.

Zappe, who was signed from the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad earlier this season, will become the eighth quarterback to make just one start for the Browns over this 25-year stretch.

That list includes Spergon Wynn, Bruce Gradkowski, Thad Lewis, Connor Shaw, Kevin Hogan and Nick Mullens. Jeff Driskel, who played the 2023 regular-season finale to rest Joe Flacco, was the most recent single-game starter prior to Zappe.

The Baltimore Ravens could clinch the AFC North title with a win in Week 18. The Browns are meanwhile in the running with other three-win teams including the New England Patriots, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans for the first pick of the upcoming draft.

The Cleveland Browns are entering Week 18 with a 3-13 record after a disastrous 2024 season, but the team reportedly isn't planning to make major changes to the roster this offseason.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Daniel Oyefusi, team sources "insist a tear-down rebuild is not coming."

The sources also noted that Browns general manager Andrew Berry is "a measured yet aggressive general manager, which has historically yielded plenty of offseason activity." He's handed out big-money deals that made multiple players some of the highest-paid free agents at their respective positions. He's also made major moves on the trade market, such as acquiring star receivers Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy and defensive end Za'Darius Smith.

A personnel source told Fowler and Oyefusi that the Browns will be "opportunistic" in improving the roster this offseason as well. It was also noted that the team internally considers this to be "a pivot year," as it will have to make decisions on eight big-money contracts that become non-guaranteed in 2025. Cleveland has 11 picks in the 2025 NFL draft and will be picking in the first round for the first time since 2021.

"We have a lot of flexibility," a front office source said. "We'll be fine from a cap standpoint. That's the last thing I'm worried about."

Of course, a major hurdle for the Browns is quarterback Deshaun Watson's massive contract, which has a $72.9 million cap hit. Fowler and Oyefusi noted that restructuring his deal to convert his $46 million 2025 salary to a bonus and spread over multiple years "could give Cleveland more breathing room."

The Browns will end the 2024 season on Sunday in a road game against the Baltimore Ravens before turning the page to focusing on preparing for the 2025 campaign.

Even though the Cleveland Browns are going to have Deshaun Watson on their roster next season, the organization will be keeping tabs on other quarterbacks who are capable of starting to add during the offseason.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Daniel Oyefusi, Kirk Cousins is one option the Browns are expected to consider if he becomes available. They are also leaving the door open for Jameis Winston to return in 2025.

Cousins doesn't seem like he will be with the Atlanta Falcons much longer after being benched in favor of Michael Penix Jr. prior to Week 16.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the expectation from people across the NFL is that Cousins will be released by the Falcons before his $10 million roster bonus is due on March 17.

There's a chance the Falcons could explore trade opportunities for Cousins, but that would be complicated because of his salary and a full no-trade clause in his contract.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe noted executives and coaches around the league think the Falcons could land a day-three draft pick in a trade if they agreed to pay "a chunk" of Cousins' $27.5 million guaranteed salary for next season.

One reason that Cousins might have more interest than his performance this season suggests he should is the quarterback market looks rather barren. Sam Darnold will be the top free agent, but the group behind him includes Jacoby Brissett, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson and Mac Jones.

There could be some other players added to the list if they get released by their current team. Aaron Rodgers is the biggest name among potential cut candidates, but he's talking about potentially retiring going into the final game of the season for the New York Jets.

Cousins had some good moments this season with the Falcons, but he really struggled down the stretch prior to being benched. He has thrown for 3,508 yards with 18 touchdowns and an NFL-high 16 interceptions in 14 starts.

The Browns recently restructured Watson's contract with the expectation he will be on the roster in 2025, but there has been no assurances from the organization that he's going to enter the season as the starter.

Watson is currently rehabbing from a ruptured Achilles he suffered in Cleveland's Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was arguably the worst starting quarterback in the NFL this season prior to the injury.

After Watson went down, Winston took over as the starter. He threw for 2,038 yards with 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in seven starts before being benched prior to Week 16.

The Browns could also end up taking a quarterback in the draft. They could secure the No. 1 overall pick with a loss to the Baltimore Ravens and wins by the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans in Week 18.

The Cleveland Browns intend to cast a wide net at the quarterback position this offseason after Deshaun Watson yet again fell well short of expectations on the field, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Daniel Oyefusi.

Fowler and Oyefusi cited team sources who "acknowledge it is safe to assume Watson will be back with the team in some capacity in 2025." However, Cleveland intends to consider "any veteran with starter's talent" as a possible addition.

The report listed Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold as hypothetical targets, though the latter "could prove too costly" if he isn't franchise-tagged by the Minnesota Vikings.

The Browns are pretty much wedded to Watson for at least one more year after once again restructuring his contract.

Cutting the three-time Pro Bowler before June 1 would saddle Cleveland with a dead money hit of $172.7 million, so that's out of the question. Designating him as a post-June 1 cut would lower the dead money hit to $118.9 million in 2025 and plus an additional $53.8 million in 2026.

But Watson's return doesn't have to preclude the Browns from signing a notable veteran who could plausibly be the Week 1 starter. It remains to be seen whether Watson will even be healthy in time for the opening week as he recovers from his ruptured Achilles.

From the moment he got benched by the Atlanta Falcons, Cousins became a logical short-term solution for Cleveland.

Availability shouldn't be an issue, with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting on Dec. 21 the Falcons are expected to release the 36-year-old before he receives a $10 million roster bonus in mid-March.

Cousins also has an existing rapport with Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski as they worked together for two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

And for as much as the four-time Pro Bowler has struggled (3,508 yards and 18 touchdowns to 16 interceptions in 14 starts) with the Falcons, the free-agent pool is thin at quarterback. Beyond Darnold, there's Russell Wilson and he wind up sticking around with the Pittsbugh Steelers. Then you're looking at the likes of Justin Fields, Joe Flacco, Jameis Winston and Mac Jones.

It's anybody's guess as to who the Browns tab as their starter to kick off the 2025 campaign, but it looks increasingly like Watson won't be the final choice.

Mike Vrabel's consulting agreement with the Cleveland Browns expired on Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Vrabel, the former head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23, was hired by the Browns as a coaching and personnel consultant during the 2024 offseason.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on Dec. 11 that Vrabel is seen as a "prime" candidate in the upcoming coaching cycle, as the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders are considered potential landing spots if a vacancy opens up.

Vrabel was listed as one of the "names to watch" regarding the Chicago Bears' head coaching job, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.

ESPN's Adam Schefter previously reported that the New Orleans Saints are also expected to have "some level of interest" in the former Titans coach.

The New York Jets are among the teams that'll be searching for a new head coach in 2025, and Vrabel appears to be on their radar as well. According to Connor Hughes of SNY, "multiple NFL sources" believe that the 49-year-old is the coach that the Jets "covet the most."

Vrabel finished with an overall record of 54-45 in Tennessee, posting four winning records in his six years as a member of the organization. The Titans racked up three playoff appearances throughout his tenure, making it to the AFC Championship Game during their 2019 campaign. Tennessee also won the AFC South crown in 2020 and 2021.

He was ultimately fired by the Titans following a 6-11 finish in 2023, but they've continued to struggle in his absence. Tennessee owns a mere 3-13 record in its first year under new head coach Brian Callahan.

With Vrabel's consulting contract with Cleveland coming to an end, he should start to receive multiple head coaching interviews from interested teams in the near future.