Browns Rumors: Kirk Cousins, Daniel Jones, Carson Wentz Linked Amid Watson Injury

The Cleveland Browns find themselves in an odd spot at the quarterback position heading into the 2025 season.

There's little doubt that the team needs to find a long-term option at the NFL draft to replace Deshaun Watson, who has been a huge bust since the Browns traded for him and signed to the worst contract in NFL history. ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Sunday that "the overwhelming belief of the people I spoke to this week is that the Browns plan to stay put at No. 2 in the draft and take one of the top quarterbacks."

But the team may also seek a short-term option at the position, with Watson's ruptured Achilles likely to cost him a significant chunk of the 2025 season.

Per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, "People I've talked to expect Daniel Jones to be on their radar, along with Kirk Cousins if he becomes available (though, surprisingly, not every team official is buying that the Atlanta Falcons will just cut him outright, despite the significant money owed to him). Another name to watch here is Carson Wentz."

Because the Browns still owe Watson $92 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons, they can't afford to be in the market for players like Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers. That means a cheeper option like Jones or Wentz, both backup-level quarterbacks at this point, would make sense as a short-term starter if a rookie quarterback isn't quite ready to steer the ship.