The player movement period, when teams can legally negotiate with external free agents, starts on Monday. Trades can be negotiated at any time and be processed on Wednesday, the official start of the new league year.
The Cleveland Browns will be value shopping — and quarterback shopping, too. But all moves must be made with the salary cap in mind. The Browns got to around $13 million in free space on Thursday when they restructured the contract of injured quarterback Deshaun Watson to create around $36 million in 2025 space.
Though the Browns are publicly resisting a rebuild, they’re short on cap space and dealing with a trade request from Myles Garrett because the Watson experiment has failed miserably. And though they aren’t the only team with a lengthy list of offseason needs, theirs starts with quarterback before hitting both lines and the offensive skill positions.
So, where do they turn? Who can they chase? Affordability is an issue, of course, though this Browns regime has been known to backload new contracts for cap flexibility. The bigger issue is simply availability in what appears to be a lackluster free-agent group.
What’s below is a list of 26 realistic targets either by free agency or potential trade. Though the players are listed in my guessing order of most likely to land in Cleveland to less likely, this is always a difficult projection, made more difficult this year not just by a lack of great options but by the number of different ways the team can go.
Will the Browns attempt to make some splash moves to try to convince Garrett to change his mind and sign an extension? Is there really a “good” quarterback option? Might the Browns only sign a handful of mid-level free agents and some inexpensive depth given their cap constraints? Can they find veteran help by trading away third-day draft picks as they’ve done in the past?
With that uncertainty in mind, here goes. This list was compiled from research on various free-agent lists on Pro Football Focus, Over the Cap and The Athletic’s ranking of the top 150 free agents.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Falcons
The Falcons have Cousins under contract but have to pay him a $10 million bonus by March 16 to keep him. Though it’s unlikely a team would trade for the contract, it’s hard to predict this quarterback race given the lack of great options.
Cousins, 36, is an easy link to the Browns because he previously played under Kevin Stefanski in Minnesota — and because he’ll be relatively inexpensive if he hits free agency. The Falcons have publicly said they’re not going to move Cousins, so either they’re completely bluffing or trying to work a trade in which Atlanta eats a portion of the salary.
Daniel Jones, QB, Vikings
Folks, the list of viable options is not long. Jones is mobile and will likely come cheap (by quarterback standards). The 27-year-old is a 2019 top-10 pick who’s looking to resurrect his career and show he can still be a starter.
Malcolm Koonce, DE, Raiders
He missed all of last season with a knee injury, so he’ll probably land somewhere on a one-year deal. If the price and opportunity are right, the Browns and Koonce could make for a match regardless of Garrett’s status. Koonce had eight sacks in 2023 after playing two seasons as a backup.
Baron Browning, LB, Cardinals
Browning can play as a linebacker and an edge rusher, and he picked up two sacks last season after Arizona acquired him in a midseason trade. The Browns were rumored to be interested in Browning in the 2021 draft. Might they show interest again?
Dan Moore Jr., OT, Steelers
It feels like the Browns will draft their left tackle of the future, but is that player also playing left tackle next season? And how high on the draft priority list will that position rank? Moore is just 26, started four seasons in Pittsburgh and will have a market even if teams think he’s just an adequate starter.
GO DEEPER Browns mock draft 2.0: Abdul Carter in Round 1, Ohio State-heavy on Day 2
Poona Ford, DT, Chargers
Ford, 29, started 17 games and tied his career high with three sacks last season for the Chargers, his third NFL team. The Browns value pass-rush ability in their defensive tackles and are facing contract decisions on older veterans Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris.
Derek Carr, QB, Saints
The Saints will probably restructure Carr’s contract and keep him again — and he has a no-trade clause that allows him some control of things if New Orleans shifts its thinking. He’s high on my list of personal preferences because he’d bring the kind of leadership, credibility and work ethic Cleveland’s locker room needs. All indications from the NFL Scouting Combine, though, were that he’s not going to be available.
Geno Smith, QB, Seahawks
Maybe the Seahawks just want to get younger across the board and are willing to trade Smith ahead of his age-35 season. Though I don’t fully trust the folks in charge of the Browns to fix this mess they created with Watson, I do trust they’ve done their research and will exhaust every possibility to try to keep what’s left of this roster together and get Garrett to change his thinking. I don’t think they can win the Super Bowl with Smith, but he’s certainly far from the worst option right now.
Dyami Brown, WR, Commanders
Brown only had 29 receptions over his first three seasons, but he’s in line for a pretty nice payday after posting 30 catches in 2024 and producing during the Commanders’ playoff run. Brown is just 25 and can get open deep. He might not want to leave Jayden Daniels, but if he does, he’ll draw interest.
Matt Pryor, OL, Bears
Pryor has played both guard spots over the past two seasons and made five starts at tackle in 2022. This list would have been significantly different had Joel Bitonio opted to retire instead of announcing his plans to return for 2025, but the Browns still need to add depth across the line. In the past, they’ve viewed versatility as a bonus.
Dre Greenlaw, LB, 49ers
Greenlaw missed most of 2024 after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl in February 2024. He was really good when healthy and will draw interest around the league. With the Browns saying nothing publicly about the status of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and his neck injury, the team’s actions might provide some answers. Greenlaw, who turns 28 in April, has two seasons of 120-plus tackles.
Joe Flacco, QB, Colts
The locker room loved Flacco during his 2023 run that pushed the Browns to the playoffs. Flacco knew he wouldn’t be back last year, and though he appears to fit in the mentor role, it’s fair to wonder if Cleveland knew it got the last of Flacco’s best work 16 months ago. Among the many questions about this mess: Do the Browns just want a mentor? Might they sign two veteran passers? At 40, does Flacco even want a full-time role?
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Patriots
Another familiar name who’s respected inside the building, Brissett could be viewed as the right player to help tutor the quarterback (or even quarterbacks) the Browns draft in April.
Dre’mont Jones, DL, Seahawks
A Cleveland native, Dre’mont Jones was released by the Seahawks earlier this week. He’s 28, has 30 1/2 career sacks and has positional versatility. The Browns face a series of roster decisions across their defensive line, so a significant remake is possible. A Jones homecoming is possible, too.
Dayo Odeyingbo, DL, Colts
Another versatile defensive lineman, Odeyingbo’s arrow appears to be pointed upward and his next contract likely will reflect that. If the Browns decide to spend big on one free agent, I believe he could be the target.
Tershawn Wharton, DT, Chiefs
Wharton, who will be 27 this summer, is set to hit free agency after posting a career-high 6 1/2 sacks and becoming something close to a full-time player in 2024. He’s a former undrafted free agent who primarily has been a pass-down player.
Justin Fields, QB, Steelers
Maybe the Steelers keep him, and maybe he’s never going to be a full-time option. But I’m still not ruling out the possibility that the Browns could design a run-first offense around Fields and potentially Jalen Milroe next season in their bid to be competitive and semi-relevant.
Jamien Sherwood, LB, Jets
Sherwood went from being a third-day pick in 2021 as a safety to blossoming as a linebacker who was voted as team MVP by his teammates last year. Again, he’s a name to watch if the Browns feel they need a starter and long-term help at the position.
Liam Eichenberg, OL, Dolphins
Like Dre’mont Jones, he played at Cleveland St. Ignatius High School. Eichenberg has played both guard and center and should be relatively inexpensive as a one-year option with a chance to stick longer, given that Bitonio, Wyatt Teller and Ethan Pocic are all signed only through 2025.
Jaylon Moore, OT, 49ers
Jaylon Moore, 27, was a backup in San Francisco for four seasons. He’s made 12 career starts and could be viewed as an option as a swing tackle or short-term left tackle.
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, WR, Chiefs
Hollywood Brown can really run, but he missed most of last season after suffering a training camp injury. He’s likely going to sign a one-year deal somewhere, and if the Browns can sign a decent veteran quarterback, they should be interested.
Tyrel Dodson, LB, Dolphins
Dodson, 26, has now started games for three different teams after beginning his career as a backup and special-teamer. He had three interceptions last season for the Dolphins, who made a trade with Seattle to acquire Dodson.
Russell Wilson, QB, Steelers
The Browns could do worse than Wilson. Really, they could (and have). He’s probably not going back to Pittsburgh but could reunite with his former coach, Pete Carroll, in Las Vegas.
Xavier Woods, S, Panthers
Woods has been a starter in Dallas, Minnesota and Carolina. Past misses in free agency and the retirement of super utility man Rodney McLeod have the Browns looking for help at safety, but it remains to be seen if they’ll strictly be value shopping — or even looking at all before the draft.
Javonte Williams, RB, Broncos
Probably, the Browns will draft a runner to pair with Jerome Ford atop their running back rotation. So I don’t expect any immediate signings, but I think the team might view Williams as worth an inexpensive shot, assuming Nick Chubb moves on. Williams doesn’t turn 25 until April and was off to a strong start in his career before suffering a torn ACL in 2022.
John Bates, TE, Commanders
With David Njoku only under contract for one more season and Jordan Akins eligible for free agency, the Browns are probably looking for tight end help. It wouldn’t be surprising if they draft a tight end and only add a veteran through later waves of free agency. Bates has mostly been a blocker and special teams player.
