BEREA, Ohio — The first week of free agency came and went with minimal activity from the Cleveland Browns, save for the team’s surprising reconciliation with star pass rusher Myles Garrett, as the two sides agreed to a record-breaking extension one day before the start of the NFL’s negotiation period.
Otherwise, the team re-signed a quartet of depth pieces, added five outside free agents and traded for quarterback Kenny Pickett.
All eyes have been on the Browns’ quarterback room and how they would address the position after shuffling through four different passers in 2024. But to date, the team’s move for Pickett — Cleveland sent the Philadelphia Eagles a 2025 fifth-round pick and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson — has been its only transaction at the position.
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The Browns did host quarterback Russell Wilson on a visit last week, but the two sides did not discuss the parameters of a contract and he left without a deal. With the majority of the top free agent quarterbacks signing elsewhere, few starting options remain ahead of the 2025 NFL draft in late April.
As the second wave of free agency unfolds and the draft approaches, the Browns are continuing to monitor their options to upgrade an offense that ranked 32nd in scoring last season.
Cleveland is seemingly in a holding pattern with Wilson as multiple teams wait on Aaron Rodgers to make a decision regarding his free agency. The New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers have shown interest in Rodgers. Wilson, who started 11 games for the Steelers last season, visited the Giants after coming to Cleveland last week.
The Browns had interest in Daniel Jones, according to a league source, but he ultimately opted to sign a one-year, $14 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts and compete against Anthony Richardson for the starting job. And the Atlanta Falcons opting to keep Kirk Cousins on their roster and take on a $10 million roster bonus (due in 2026) has kept another potential option off the market.
Besides Wilson and Rodgers, the remaining free agent quarterbacks available include a pair of former Browns starters (Joe Flacco and Jameis Winston) and other 2024 backups, such as Carson Wentz, Tyler Huntley and Drew Lock. The Browns entered free agency with about $12 million in cap space, but general manager Andrew Berry said at the NFL scouting combine that Cleveland’s cash and cap situation isn’t prohibitive to investing more money into the quarterback position. The team, though, is expected to be measured on how much it spends, especially with so much cash and cap space still tied to Deshaun Watson, who is rehabbing a right torn Achilles tendon.
The Browns are poised to return their starting offensive line from the 2024 season. Left guard Joel Bitonio decided to come back for his 12th season. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that right tackle Jack Conklin agreed to a revised contract that will keep him in Cleveland next season, lowering his base salary to $10 million but guaranteeing $9 million. And the Browns exercised right guard Wyatt Teller’s $10 million option bonus, effectively ensuring he will be on the roster in 2025. Cornelius Lucas, whom the team signed to a two-year deal, provides depth at both tackle spots given Conklin and Dawand Jones’ injury history.
But a glaring hole remains at quarterback and the skill positions around the position. Pickett told reporters he was informed he will get an opportunity to compete to be the starter and expects a veteran addition at some point. In addition to failing to sign another passer, the Browns haven’t added reinforcements at wide receiver or running back. Many of the top available skill position players have signed, and the Browns were unwilling to invest as much as many of those players eventually signed for, according to a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking. At wide receiver, Stefon Diggs, Amari Cooper and Keenan Allen are among ESPN analyst Matt Bowen’s best available players. At running back, Nick Chubb and J.K. Dobbins remain unsigned.
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The Browns’ lack of offensive additions places even more of a focus on the draft, where the team holds the second overall pick and 10 selections total. Cleveland hosted quarterback prospects Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders on top-30 visits and spoke with other passers at the combine. A deep running back class could provide a Day 2 or 3 option to add to the backfield.
While many questions remain regarding how the Browns will build their offense, Garrett, who said continued conversations with the organization allowed him to become realigned with the franchise, expressed confidence in the front office’s plans.
“Just leaning on [Berry] and his expertise,” Garrett said last week, “and knowing that he has a plan on what this team and this offense will look like going forward, and he’s going to put the best offense possible out there. He’s going to get a QB that we all continue to have faith in, and we’re going to go out and do our thing on defense.”
