Will the Browns make a big move at quarterback in NFL free agency?

For the second consecutive year, the Cleveland Browns enter an offseason without an unquestioned starter at the quarterback position.

The inability to find a starter during the 2025 season prompted general manager Andrew Berry to say the team will look into making an addition, while new coach Todd Monken said the search will continue this offseason.

«It’s an open competition. I mean, I don’t know why it wouldn’t be an open competition,» Monken said this week at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. «I don’t mean that saying it harshly, but I don’t think there’s enough on film over the last couple years, one way or the other, to say, ‘Boy, we have our starter at quarterback yet.’ Whether internally or externally.»

Unlike last offseason, when the Browns entered NFL free agency with a bare quarterback room — Deshaun Watson, who was rehabbing from an Achilles tear, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson were the only players under contract — Cleveland has three players signed. Berry and Monken were complimentary of not only Watson but Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, while acknowledging the uncertainty of the position.

Daniel Jones and Malik Willis, rated the No. 1 and No. 2 players available, according to ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. Jones, whom the Browns expressed interest in last offseason, is coming off an Achilles tear, and Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard expressed optimism at the combine that the 28-year-old would remain in Indianapolis on a new deal.

That leaves Willis, a 2022 third-round pick of the Tennessee Titans who spent the past two seasons as the backup to Jordan Love with the Green Bay Packers.

Willis, 26, struggled during his time as a backup in Tennessee (53% completion rate, zero passing touchdowns, three interceptions in 11 appearances and three starts) but had quality showings in the three starts he made stepping in when Love was sidelined because of injury.

In 2024 and 2025, Willis completed 78.7% of his passes for 972 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions in his 11 appearances and three starts. The Packers went 2-1 in his starts.

«To be realistic, I think he’s going to have a lot of opportunities to maybe play more than he would here,» Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said in February.

There has been speculation Willis could receive a contract that is similar to — or exceeds — the two-year, $40 million deal that Justin Fields signed with the New York Jets last offseason. Monken has been vocal about the importance of mobility at the quarterback position, and Willis’ dual-threat ability would make him a possible fit. But his body of work is slim with six career starts.

Top 50 players available | Offense tiers
&#8226 Picking one free agent for every team
&#8226 Every team’s biggest decision | Best fits
&#8226 Tracking franchise tags | Read more

One factor that led league sources to express skepticism over a possible pairing in Cleveland was Willis sharing the same agent as Watson, who is aiming to return to his starting role after missing all of the 2025 season because of his Achilles rehab. Watson, who has played in only 19 games because of suspension and injuries since arriving in Cleveland via trade in March 2022, has a fully guaranteed $46 million salary in 2026.

«Anytime that you have a player that at one time has exhibited the skill set at an elite level,» Monken said of Watson, «I think you’re always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get that out of him again, and I think that’s how you should look at every player.»

If the Browns don’t sign Willis, the other top available free agent quarterbacks would consist of a cast of stopgap and backup-level options such as Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and the soon-to-be-released Kirk Cousins.

The other avenue for the Browns to add a quarterback in free agency is via trade. Cleveland did so last offseason, trading Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Kenny Pickett, who had spent the previous season as a backup to Jalen Hurts but had starting experience. Pickett suffered a hamstring injury during the first week of training camp and was eventually dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders for a fifth-round pick ahead of the roster cutdown deadline.

One potential backup with starting experience, the San Francisco 49ers’ Mac Jones, appears to be unavailable in trade talks. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported in February that the 49ers have «no plans» to trade Jones, who went 5-3 as a starter filling for an injured Brock Purdy and registered a 62.3 QBR that ranked 10th in the NFL. Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said he would be «very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.»

The Colts’ Anthony Richardson Sr. is also available after Indianapolis permitted him to seek a trade. Richardson, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft, has started 15 games for the Colts, throwing 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He lost a preseason battle to Jones and then sustained a fractured orbital bone in a freak pregame warmup incident last October that put him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. His 44.4 QBR ranks 31st out of 39 quarterbacks who have made at least 15 starts since the start of the 2023 season.

Despite starting just 13 games in college, Richardson was picked high in the draft because of his physical traits and perceived ceiling. And at 23, he’s even younger than Sanders, who turned 24 last month. The skill set, though, has not translated to on-field production. A team that trades for Richardson might not need to give up much in terms of draft compensation, and the acquiring club would have to pay only a $1.145 million base salary, plus a $4.24 million roster bonus that is due in August. Bringing in Richardson, though, would qualify as a flier on a development player as opposed to a bona fide starting option.

Schefter also reported that both the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins would like to find trade partners for Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa, respectively. With both players underperforming to their high-priced contracts and new head coaches arriving, the 2019 and 2020 first-round picks could find new homes this offseason.

Miami is expected to be willing to pay down a portion of Tagovailoa’s contract to help facilitate a trade, sources told Schefter. The Dolphins signed Tagovailoa, 28, to a four-year, $212.1 million extension in July 2024. Miami already owes him $54 million guaranteed in 2026, and another $3 million of Tagovailoa’s 2027 salary becomes guaranteed on the fifth day of the new league year on March 15.

Tagovailoa, the No. 5 pick in the 2020 draft, was benched with three games remaining and threw a career-high 15 interceptions, while failing to eclipse 200 passing yards in eight of the 14 games he played this past season.

Every team’s offseason guide | Schedule
&#8226 Top free agents | Best draft prospects
&#8226 Top trade candidates | 11 trade proposals
&#8226 QB market | Rebuild tiers | Deepest positions
&#8226 Coach hirings | Draft order | Franchise tags

Murray, 28, is already guaranteed $36.8 million in 2026. On March 15, another $19.5 million of his 2027 base salary becomes guaranteed if Murray is still on Arizona’s roster. Murray, the No. 1 pick in 2019, played in five games last season because of a foot injury, throwing for 962 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.

The nature of both players’ contracts makes a trade to the Browns unpalatable, given the salary cap space still tied up in Watson’s contract and Cleveland’s myriad needs on offense. Tagovailoa or Murray being released would allow them to be signed by a new team at a low, minimum-level salary because of the guaranteed money still owed by their former teams.

«I would anticipate that there’s at least the chance that we would be a little bit more aggressive relative, well more, I’ll say this, more aggressive than last year, but it’ll be targeted and opportunistic,» Berry said. «I think realistically we may be one more offseason away from being hyper-aggressive in that window, but if there’s something that fits us, fits our roster, fits our timeline, then it’s certainly a swing we’ll take.»

Last offseason, the Browns not only expressed interest in Jones but also brought in Wilson for a visit. Seeking low-cost veteran additions, Cleveland ultimately traded for Pickett, who was on the final year of his rookie deal, and signed Joe Flacco to a one-year deal worth $4 million.

With limited options and major holes along the offense, it remains to be seen whether the Browns will be able to add legitimate competition to their quarterback room in free agency.

«I wouldn’t say it’s important to [add a quarterback],» Monken said, «but we’re going to do our due diligence to make sure that our roster, that we put ourselves in the best position we can to score points, which starts with that position.»

Information from ESPN reporters Rob Demovsky and Nick Wagoner was used in this report.