The Cleveland Browns remain handicapped by the five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract the organization shelled out for quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2022.

Considering the three-time Pro Bowler’s season-ending Achilles injury and overall diminished play since 2022, many prominent mock drafts have already suggested the Browns front office make an offseason move for a new signal-caller.

Athlon Sports updated its first-round 2025 NFL mock draft ahead of Thanksgiving and had a surprise projection for Cleveland.

Miami’s Cam Ward and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe were readily available after Colorado stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders were predicted to be drafted No. 1 and No. 2. Instead, Athlon Sports analyst Luke Easterling had the Browns passing on both star quarterbacks to select Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter at No. 3.

“Obviously, the Browns need to cut their losses with Deshaun Watson, but it’s hard to imagine they’ll actually do that,” Easterling wrote.

“It’s not the best year to need a quarterback in the top five anyway, though, so don’t be surprised if Cleveland opts for a blue-chip player at another spot,” Easterling added. “Carter has made the transition from off-ball linebacker to edge rusher look seamless, and he’s been one of the most dominant defenders in all of college football this season.”

Carter, a 6-foot-3, 252-pound junior from Philadelphia, was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2023 and leads the conference in tackles for loss (18) through 11 games in 2024. He has also added a career-high 8.0 sacks this season and would be a scary bookend opposite one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers in Myles Garrett.

After the Carter-to-Cleveland prediction, Easterling had Ward landing at No. 4 with the New York Giants, who released $160 million quarterback Daniel Jones last week. Milroe was projected to land with the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 5.