Cleveland Browns

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.

The Cleveland Browns agreed to terms on a restructured contract with quarterback Deshaun Watson this week, giving the team future flexibility while keeping Watson under center.

With the new deal, the Browns still owe Watson $92 million over the next two seasons, but his contract will be easier to manage when it expires after the 2026 season.

Though the restructuring still means the Browns are financially committed to Watson over the next few years, there's no guarantee that he'll be the starter. Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the restructured contract "doesn't rule out the possibility of adding competition to the QB room down the line."

The competition could come from one of the quarterbacks already on the roster like Jameis Winston or Dorian Thompson-Robinson, or from a new addition either from the draft or free agency.

Watson, in his third season with the Browns, is out of the year with a ruptured Achilles he suffered in October. When he was on the field, Watson was far from the 2020 version of himself that warranted the lucrative deal that Cleveland gave him.

He had just 1,148 passing yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions through the first seven games, recording a career-worst 23.0 quarterback rating. The struggles could be from rust, as Watson had played just 12 games since 2020 coming into the 2024 season, but gaining some flexibility with a contract restructuring will make the Browns feel better if they decide to bench Watson in the future.

Kevin Stefanski is reportedly expected to return for a sixth season as head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2025.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, the Browns have "no plans" to fire Stefanski despite their 3-12 record this season on the heels of going 11-6 and reaching the playoffs last season.

Stefanski was named NFL Coach of the Year in both 2020 and 2023, making him one of only 11 coaches in league history to win the award multiple times.

Last season, the Browns were able to overcome several key injuries and got strong play out of veteran backup quarterback Joe Flacco to reach the playoffs, but a repeat performance was not in the cards this season.

Much like in 2023, starting quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending injury in 2024, as he tore his Achilles in October.

Cleveland has also been without running back Nick Chubb, offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and cornerback Greg Newsome for extended periods of time.

Getting healthy could go a long way toward getting the Browns back on track next season, but quarterback may continue to be an issue for the franchise.

The blockbuster acquisition of Watson from the Houston Texans has proved disastrous thus far, as he has struggled even when healthy. Watson is 9-10 in 19 starts over three seasons in Cleveland, and he has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Cleveland's decision to give Watson a fully-guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract after trading for him makes it difficult to cut ties with him.

As a result, the Browns restructured Watson's contract this week in an effort to give themselves some salary cap relief down the line, per ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi.

However, by reworking Watson's deal, it essentially guarantees that he will be on the Browns' roster in 2025.

Pelissero and Rapoport noted that the Browns are expected to bring in some competition for Watson either through the draft or in free agency, though, which means Watson is not guaranteed to start in 2025 coming off a torn Achilles.

Figuring out the quarterback situation could go a long way toward securing Stefanski's future, and given that Cleveland is currently in line to pick fifth overall in the 2025 NFL draft, it is a possibility that the Browns could land Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders or Miami quarterback Cam Ward.

If the Browns go into 2025 expecting Watson to be the answer at quarterback, though, it is fair to wonder if Stefanski's job will be in jeopardy.

Although he has two NFL Coach of the Year awards to his credit, he has reached the playoffs only twice in five seasons as the Browns' head coach and has just one playoff win to show for it.

The Cleveland Browns and quarterback Deshaun Watson have agreed on a contract restructure, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who provided more information.

Watson is on a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract that expires after the 2026 season. Rapoport added that the new deal "doesn't affect Watson's 2025 contract." He is still due $92 million fully guaranteed over 2025 and 2026.

Rapoport added that "the new parameters of the deal would make his contract easier to manage following the 2026 season..." He also said Cleveland plans to bring in another quarterback for competition, whether it's a rookie, a younger player or a veteran (perhaps even current Browns signal-caller Jameis Winston).

Watson only played seven games for the Browns this season after suffering a torn Achilles against the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 20.

Watson had struggled over the first seven weeks of the season. His 79.0 quarterback rating ranks 32nd out of 34 signal-callers, and his 23.0 QBR ranks dead last, per Pro Football Reference. His 3.84 net yards gained per attempt was last as well and sits more than a full yard behind the next-closest QB (the Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams, at 4.89).

Overall, the Browns' signing of Watson has not worked out. In 19 games over three seasons, Cleveland has gone 9-10 in his starts. Watson has completed only 61.2 percent of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He's also thrown for only 6.0 yards per attempt.

Given Watson's 2024 performance and subsequent season-ending injury, it's understandable that the Browns are looking for a new quarterback. And given his monstrous contract, Cleveland certainly needs some more cap flexibility, especially given the team's nightmarish 3-12 season.

For now, the Browns will play out the string of a lost season before turning attention toward the offseason, presumably with finding out the team's answer at QB1 in 2025 high on the list.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett made it abundantly clear last week that he wants to play for a contender.

"I want to win. I want the Browns to put me and us in a position to win. I'm not trying to rebuild, I'm trying to win right now," he told reporters. "There's gotta be a plan of action and just gotta know where things are going."

On Friday, he told reporters that he's since spoken to Cleveland's front office regarding that stance:

He also said he's consulted with LeBron James—who spent 11 seasons playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers and remains a Browns fan—over the years.

"I mean, he's seen everything on the sports side of it. His advice has been very valuable," he said. "Him, his team, just being able to be around them and learn from them has been very useful these last couple of years. ... Definitely using my platform, my voice, to my benefit and my team's benefit. It's been crucial."

The Browns, meanwhile, are at a crossroads. The team is mired in a 3-12 season and will have to make a very important decision on the quarterback position in the offseason.

Normally, Deshaun Watson's struggles before his season-ending ruptured right Achilles' tendon—he threw for just 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games, completing 63.4 percent of his passes and take an unfathomable 33 sacks (and the numbers don't really do justice for how poor he was)—would have made the team's decision at quarterback fairly simple. It would be time to find a replacement.

But the Browns are on the hook for every penny of Watson's five-year, $230 million contract, which is fully guaranteed, runs through the 2026 campaign and has a full no-trade clause between 2024-26. They did rework his deal, yet again, to make it slightly more friendly to the team in future years from a salary cap perspective, though he'll still get the entirety of his guaranteed money.

None of the above is keeping the Browns from drafting his successor and making Watson the most ridiculously expensive backup quarterback in NFL history, of course. But committing that much of the salary cap to dead weight severely limits the team's ability to field a contender around superstars like Garrett (it should be noted that Garrett said his comments last week weren't a dig at Watson).

And the dominant defensive end has done his part in what has been a brutal season for the Browns, registering 41 tackles (18 for loss), 12 sacks, 26 quarterback hits and a fumble recovery. He remains one of the NFL's most disruptive defensive forces.

If Cleveland is staring down a rebuild while they wait out the Watson contract, one option would be to trade Garrett to a contender, potentially getting back multiple first-round picks in the process and jumpstarting the retooling effort.

It's possible that Garrett has already seen that writing on the wall. It remains to be seen if Cleveland's front office is doing the same math.

Cleveland Browns star pass-rusher Myles Garrett doesn't want to be part of a potential rebuild.

"Well, for me, I mean first of all I want to win," Garrett said, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "I want the Browns to be able to put me and us in position to win. I'm not trying to rebuild. I'm trying to win right now. I want that to be apparent, when the season's over and we have those discussions, I want them to be able to illuminate that for me, illustrate that for me, so that can be something that I can see in the near future."

The Browns currently sit at 3-11 this season after making the playoffs in 2023, but Garrett acknowledged that injuries to multiple key players have impacted the team's poor record.

"But we have to do, at the end of the day, what's best for us," Garrett said, via Cabot. "So if we have that alignment where this is something that is still possible in the near future, winning, going deep in the playoffs, putting a great defense out there, having a time of possession, running-game offense. Getting all the guys back. I think that would really keep my mind at rest, keep me settled."

"Not just mine, a lot of the guys on the defense, the D-line, around the team, but we have to continue to take strides forward, not just as players, but from the top down," he added.

The 28-year-old also discussed the possibility of moving on from Cleveland if the team decides to rebuild, but he expressed his current desire to remain with the organization.

"I mean, it's a possibility, but I want to be a Cleveland Brown," Garrett said. "I want to play here, play my career here. But if we choose to do a rebuild and it's two, three, four years out, I want be able to compete and play at a high level, play meaningful games and be playing past January."

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has been one of the few bright spots for the Browns this season, as he's continued to wreck opposing backfields.

In 14 starts, Garrett has racked up 11 sacks, 41 pressures, 38 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. He has reached double-digit sack totals in each of the past seven seasons.

His 23 percent pass-rush win rate is the fifth-highest mark in the NFL through Week 15's action, per ESPN.

Cleveland's defense as a whole has taken a step back in 2024, though. After the Browns ranked No. 13 among all teams by allowing 21.3 points per game last season, they now rank No. 26 this year by giving up 25.4 points each week.

The team's long-term outlook is murky, as starting quarterback Deshaun Watson struggled mightily in seven starts before a ruptured Achilles ended his season. Watson is still under contract in 2025 and 2026.

Four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb didn't make his season debut until Week 7 after recovering from knee surgery. Chubb appeared in eight games before suffering a broken foot that will keep him out for the rest of the year.

The Browns have won at least seven games in each of their prior four seasons under head coach Kevin Stefanski, which could provide optimism that the team will bounce back in 2025.

However, Garrett doesn't appear to be willing to stick around if Cleveland ultimately chooses to rebuild its roster.

Madden 25's updated ratings are giving Jerry Jeudy some credit.

The video game updated the rosters ahead of Week 15 and the Cleveland Browns wide receiver received a bump up to an 84 overall. Another notably increase was given to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who moved to a 97 overall.

This comes after the revelation that New York Jets owner Woody Johnson nixed a trade in the offseason that would have sent Jeudy to the Jets due to his low Madden rating.

Jeudy would end up being traded to the Browns instead and has had a breakout season with his new team. He has 70 catches for 1,052 yards with four touchdowns in 14 games in 2024. He has been targeted 111 times and has produced despite some mediocre quarterback play from Deshaun Watson and Jameis Winston.

Allen received his bump as he is currently in the midst of another excellent season. He has thrown for 3,395 yards with 25 touchdowns and five interceptions and helped lead Buffalo to an 11-3 start to the season. He is now tied with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the second-highest-rated quarterback behind Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Some other players receiving boosts include Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs and Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans.

For the second straight year, Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb's season has prematurely come to an end.

The Browns announced on Wednesday that Chubb has been placed on injured reserve with a foot injury, ruling him out for the remainder of the year. In a corresponding move, tight end Brenden Bates was signed from the New York Jets practice squad to Cleveland's active roster.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters after this past Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that Chubb suffered a broken foot that forced him to exit the game. He recorded 41 yards on nine carries before being ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

It was just over a year ago that Chubb suffered a devastating injury to the same knee that was surgically repaired in 2015 when he was still at Georgia. A torn MCL with damage to his ACL in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 of the 2023 campaign forced him to miss the rest of the year as well as the first six games of this season.

Chubb made his debut in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals and showed brief flashes of his usual form that earned him four consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2019 to 2022. He finishes the 2024 season with 332 rushing yards, a team-high three rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown in eight games.

Without Chubb, Cleveland will now rely on third-year speedster Jerome Ford as its lead back. The 2022 fifth-round pick leads the team with 451 rushing yards while adding two touchdowns and averaging 5.2 yards per carry. He also has 32 catches on 38 targets for 186 yards.

At 3-11, the Browns are ready for their disappointing season to come to an end. Cleveland will be trying to end a three-game losing streak when it visits the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals (6-8) on Sunday.