It’s been another rough year for the Cleveland Browns. It starts with the quarterback position if they plan to turn things around and start winning games at the level they want. Deshaun Watson hadn’t played at the level he was expected to when the Browns landed him, and his massive contract doesn’t do anyone any favors.
The Browns, heading into Week 18, have the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. This draft class has multiple quarterbacks, giving the Browns hope for the future.
There isn’t a clear-cut No. 1 quarterback option, meaning the Browns will have to do their due diligence.
In a mock draft from Jack Rill of Bleacher Report, he predicted the Browns would end up with Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
“It will be interesting to see what happens if the Browns end up with a better pick than the Giants, who may be the most quarterback-needy team in the draft. New York could trade up from No. 4, if that’s where it ends up in the final order,” Rill wrote on January 1. “But Cleveland could be in the QB market itself. Deshaun Watson has struggled to stay healthy over his first three seasons with the team, and the 29-year-old has underperformed whenever he’s been on the field.
“The Browns may look to take a quarterback early in the draft. And if Sanders is already off the board, Ward could be the next QB to be taken. Ward could have a smooth transition to the NFL after playing two seasons at Washington State (2022 and 2023) and another at Miami (2024).”
Browns Named Top Fit for Ward
If the NFL draft order stays as it is, the New England Patriots would have the No. 1 pick, and the Tennessee Titans would have the No. 2 pick. Unless the Patriots trade their pick, the expectation is for them to draft Travis Hunter.
The Titans could use a quarterback, so their pick would likely come down to Ward or Shedeur Sanders.
The Cleveland Browns would have the other to pick from unless they find a different quarterback in the draft process they rather have.
There’s an argument that Ward is the best quarterback in this draft class, breaking the NCAA D-I touchdown passing mark with 156 throughout his career.
Dean Treacy of Sporting News loves the fit, naming the Browns the top fit for Ward.
“The Browns had no choice but to keep Deshaun Watson on the roster in 2025 due to his colossal contract, but that doesn’t mean he has to start. Cleveland is expected to add a quarterback one way or another, and it would benefit both GM Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski to find a long-term solution at the position as soon as possible,” Treacy wrote on December 28.
Why Drafting a Quarterback Makes Sense
There isn’t a logical solution for the Cleveland Browns to get out of Watson’s contract. They could hope a team would trade for him and take his money, but that wouldn’t make much sense after his rough play and injuries in recent seasons.
Drafting a quarterback is the only thing the Browns can do with their cap situation, barring anything drastic happening with a veteran quarterback.
Whether it’s Ward remains to be seen, but the Browns need someone different under center moving forward.
