The Cleveland Browns need a quarterback. The team is attempting to transition away from Deshaun Watson despite his massive contract. And Watson’s Achilles recovery setback this offseason will help Cleveland usher in a new QB era. While Russell Wilson is the Browns’ top choice to take over under center, they’re developing an unexpected backup plan.
Cleveland is considering acquiring veteran quarterback Carson Wentz if the team can’t land Wilson, according to Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot on X. There is reportedly “mutual interest” in Wentz joining Cleveland as a bridge quarterback.
Wentz hasn’t been a starter in the NFL since early in the 2022 season when he was with the Washington Commanders. He landed on IR with a broken finger on his throwing hand and lost his starting job to Taylor Heinicke after returning from the injury. Since then, he’s been relegated to backup duties in one-year stints with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 and the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024.
The Browns could build a bridge to nowhere with Carson Wentz
The Browns have been linked to veteran quarterbacks during free agency. While Wilson in the preference, there had also been buzz around a Kirk Cousins trade. But the pivot to Wentz is a surprise.
Cleveland has the second overall pick in the upcoming draft. While many pundits have assumed the Browns will take one of the two first-round QB talents, the team’s draft strategy is unclear. The Tennessee Titans have the top pick and they’re now expected to draft Cam Ward, moving on from Will Levis.
If Ward is off the board when the Browns pick, the team would be faced with a difficult Shedeur Sanders decision. Mel Kiper Jr. questioned if Sanders is a fit for Cleveland. It’s possible the Browns decide to take Travis Hunter in second and head into 2025 with a veteran free agent quarterback.
But is Wentz the answer? The Browns jettisoned Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. And Watson may have started his last game in Cleveland. So far the team has brought in Kenny Pickett through a trade with the Eagles. And that’s it.
Can the Browns really be satisfied with a quarterback room composed of Wentz and Pickett? That can’t be what Myles Garrett was promised when he agreed to withdraw his trade request and re-signed a long-term extension with the team.
The post Browns, Carson Wentz have ‘mutual interest’ if Russell Wilson signs elsewhere appeared first on ClutchPoints.
