The Cleveland Browns were supposed to be entering an era of sustained success after their blockbuster trade for Deshaun Watson a few years ago. Instead, it has turned into one of the biggest blunders of the century, leaving the Browns back in the doldrums. Things looked so dire that their best player, Myles Garrett, requested a trade last month.
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However, the player and team shocked the league by agreeing to a new record deal, making Garrett the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history at $40 million per year. Garrett’s main reason for requesting a trade was his supposed emphasis on winning. Now… he wouldn’t be the first person to set aside their convictions and goals for $40 million, but his abrupt change of course suggested there might be more to the story.
No one knows what that might be, but a reasonable possibility is that Cleveland’s front office broke down their offseason strategy to Myles Garrett, and it convinced him that Cleveland would be competitive in 2025. And ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky shared a similar view.
“He’s gotta know what the QB plan is… I struggle to believe that he publicly… said what he said about the QB position and the future and wanting to win and all that, then the money comes, and he goes, ‘Yup, I forget all that.’ Myles doesn’t come across like that guy,” said the analyst on First Take.
Orlovsky then suggested that the plan could involve a two-pronged approach — targeting key additions in both free agency and the draft.
“So, he either believes that Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry at the No. 2 pick, gonna take a QB that they believe and he thinks is going to be really good. Or the second part is this… at the No. 2 pick we’re gonna take Travis Hunter, we’re gonna play him at WR, and Kirk Cousins is coming. Then, that totally changes it, then Cleveland can compete.”
Hunter would give them a bona fide WR1, and Cousins would bring a level of professionalism and experience to the QB room that they haven’t had in years. Not to mention, as Orlovsky pointed out, Cousins previously worked with Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski during their time in Minnesota from 2018 to 2019. It’s an intriguing scenario—one that many Browns fans would likely welcome. However, don’t count Stephen A. Smith in that camp.
“Kirk Cousins!? Did you say Kirk Cousins!? We know we can compete if we got Kirk Cousins!? I said Kirk Cousins, the QB situation is horrid now, that’s really the heart of their problems. You’re telling me Kirk Cousins solves their problems?”
The overriding view was that the Browns absolutely needed to draft a QB with the No. 2 pick. However, NFL insider Daniel Jeremiah communicated a shift in the discourse surrounding the Browns at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Many representatives around the league are now hearing that Cleveland might go best player available at No. 2. That would likely mean Travis Hunter, as the Garrett deal probably precludes their selection of edge Abdul Carter.
“There’s some people around the league that think the Browns aren’t gonna take a QB with their first pick… They’ve done their homework on this second tier of QBs as well so don’t rule that out,” said Jeremiah.
There’s no doubt anyone would love Hunter, but the Kirk Cousins part of Orlovsky’s plan might not be as popular.
However, the Browns don’t necessarily have to choose between a veteran free agent and one of the top two prospects. As Jeremiah noted, they’ve been keeping tabs on mid-round draft prospects like Jaxson Dart, Will Howard, and Jalen Milroe — all of whom offer intriguing strengths that could make up for their weaknesses.
