From Craig Evans (@CraigEvans06):
Craig, I think Kirk Cousins is a very viable option for the Cleveland Browns.
We reported in November that Cleveland was planning to bring back Deshaun Watson in 2025, faced with the reality that his contract (and injury) presents, but that it would build out the quarterback room around him differently this time. The last couple of years, it has been structured to support him. In 2025, the Browns will try and put competition in that room.
What’s tricky, of course, is the money. Watson is due $46 million next year, fully guaranteed, with the same number and guarantee looming in 2026. The Browns restructured this month to ease the cap damage, but they’ll have to take their medicine at some point—and logistically would have a very difficult time absorbing much more quarterback money. So they have to be creative in finding an answer.
One way to deal with it would be to draft a quarterback in the top five. The Browns currently hold the third pick. The trouble is this year’s class is very shaky, and there’s no guarantee that Cleveland will get through the process and like Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward or whoever else enough to take one that high.
Another option would be the veteran reclamation route, and try to find Cleveland’s version of Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield or Geno Smith—all three of whom have taken their current teams to the playoffs after washing out of multiple organizations. Along those lines, Justin Fields could be a name to consider.
And then, there’s Cousins. He was with Kevin Stefanski for two years in Minnesota, with Stefanski as his position coach in 2018 and his coordinator in ’19. Cousins would also likely come in, like Russell Wilson did in Pittsburgh, on the veteran minimum, with the Atlanta Falcons paying the freight and the Browns simply paying an offset. And, yes, he’ll be 37 in August, but he’ll also be another year removed from his Achilles injury with something to prove.
The more you think about it, the more it makes sense. In fact, because Cousins could come so cheap (presuming Atlanta can’t pull off a trade), you could even add him a quarterback in the draft. Then, you could just let Cousins, Watson and the rookie play it out—not a bad way to make the best out of a tough circumstance.
