Browns Predicted to Replace Watson With Record-Breaking 4,300-Yard QB

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Quarterback Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns.

The Cleveland Browns have been in quarterback purgatory ever since signing Deshaun Watson, but that may be over in a mere matter of months.

Cleveland has stumbled its way into the third overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft with just one regular season game remaining. The New England Patriots, who selected Drake Maye just last year, currently own the top pick and have no need for a quarterback.

As such, if New England doesn’t trade out of the first selection, the Browns will go on the clock with Cam Ward of the Miami Hurricanes or Shedeur Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes available to them — if not both. Josh Edwards of CBS Sports predicted in his latest mock draft that both of the top two quarterback prospects in this year’s class will be available, and that Cleveland will select Ward at No. 3.

“Cleveland would probably be more inclined to sign Kirk Cousins and draft a quarterback on Day 2, but can not pass up the opportunity to select Cam Ward at No. 3 overall,” Edwards wrote on Tuesday, December 31. “If the Browns do not go quarterback, then offensive tackle and best player available would be the preferred path.”

Cam Ward Owns All-Time D-I Record for Career Passing TDs

GettyMiami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward.

Ward broke the Division-I record for career passing touchdowns last weekend during the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Iowa State, accumulating a tally of 158 TD passes over his five years in collegiate football. He took over the record from former Houston QB and current NFL signal caller Case Keenum.

Ward, who will turn 23 in May, finished this season with 4,313 passing yards, 39 TDs and just 7 INTs, per Football Reference. Those numbers put the Hurricanes’ QB among the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy in 2024. Ward finished fourth in the voting.

Miami went 10-2 during the regular season, losing to Syracuse in the final game of the year. That loss cut the team out of the ACC Championship Game and also rendered the Hurricanes on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff, which went to a 12-team format for the first time ever following the season.

The Hurricanes lost their bowl game to ISU by one point, in part because Ward opted out of playing in the second half as a matter of protecting his health leading up to the draft.

Kirk Cousins May Offer Browns Bridge QB Option if Team Doesn’t Draft Cam Ward

GettyAtlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Edwards mentioned Cousins in his mock draft projection, as the Atlanta Falcons are now certain to release the four-time Pro Bowler ahead of March 17, when the organization would owe him a roster bonus of $10 million.

The Falcons will attempt to trade Cousins before then, but any team dealing for him would have to pick up a $27.5 million tab in 2025. Instead, interested franchises can wait until Atlanta is forced to cut him in order to save the aforementioned $10 million, then sign Cousins to a league-minimum deal that will count against the $27.5 million the Falcons will have to cover next season.

Pursuing Cousins makes a ton of sense after restructuring Watson’s $230 million fully-guaranteed contract yet again in the coming offseason, which the Browns have already said they intend to do.

That means that Watson is a near lock to be on the roster next year, though it would be surprising to most around the league if he were to begin his fourth campaign as the starter given how poorly the first three seasons have gone.

However, Cousins won’t be a necessity if Cleveland drafts a franchise QB this April.