The Cleveland Browns are in need of a franchise quarterback. However, the hope was that Deshaun Watson would be that answer, which has not quite panned out the way the team likely wanted.
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Watson has played 19 games since joining the Browns in 2019 on a historic five-year, $230 million contract. The contract was historic as the entire $230 million was fully guaranteed.
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Now, that contract looks even worse, as Watson has suffered a second torn Achilles while recovering from his Achilles tear that occurred during the 2024 season.
That said, the Browns need to target a quarterback in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. However, a new prediction states they will take a big swing and completely ignore that position with their No. 2 overall pick.
Connor Rogers of NBC Sports believes the Browns will target Colorado Buffaloes two-position phenom, Travis Hunter.
"While staring at the hourglass waiting for the sand to empty out on the Deshaun Watson contract, the Browns will finally look to add real competition at quarterback this offseason. I would imagine they try to do that in the pro market first and if they are successful, this opens the door for them to take the best player in the draft in Travis Hunter," Rogers writes.
Hunter is arguably the best player in the 2025 NFL Draft, simply because of what he can do on both sides of the ball. However, the Browns need to stop playing with the potential that Watson is going to work out as the quarterback they need.
Watson has now suffered two (technically) three season-ending injuries at the professional level. He tore his ACL in 2017. Now, he tore his Achilles in 2024 and has re-torn that same Achilles.
Watson's recovery time is a reported seven months, meaning he could potentially be ready for the start of the 2025 season. However, his performance thus far has not been good enough to warrant the team not shopping for a new quarterback.
The Browns could also target a free agent, like bringing back Joe Flacco, or even attempting to secure Sam Darnold from the Minnesota Vikings. Still, they need to bring in a young quarterback to develop.
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Landing Hunter in the draft at No. 2 overall, but doing so to skip Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders might come back to haunt them. There are going to be a ton of predictions coming out that might state the Browns go in multiple directions.
Despite the multiple options at No. 2, the Browns should use their high draft pick on their potential quarterback of the future. They can take a major swing on Hunter, but not with the balance of Watson's future hanging on by a thread.
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For more on the Browns, head to Newsweek Sports.
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