ESPN's Jeremy Fowler updates where Cleveland Browns stand in hunt of veteran, rookie quarterbacks

The Cleveland Browns added to their quarterback room this offseason, acquiring Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles. But Cleveland isn’t done.

The franchise is actively looking at the veteran market both via free agency and trade, with several names on its list. The Browns met with Russell Wilson last Thursday and still have interest in the 36-year-old, per ESPN‘s Jeremy Fowler. Carson Wentz is the contingency plan, while Kirk Cousins is of interest should the Atlanta Falcons make him available.

“From what I’m hearing, the Cleveland Browns still have interest in Russell Wilson. They’re still pursuing that angle, but they have Carson Wentz as a contingency plan,” Fowler said Friday on Get Up. “There’s some mutual interest there if Wilson falls through. Kirk Cousins would be a prime option for the Browns, I’m told, but he’s simply not available right now. It’s uncertain whether they really want to wait that out.”

Browns looking at several QB options for 2025

Cleveland was already likely to add a quarterback or two this offseason. Then, Deshaun Watson suffered a second torn Achilles in January, making their pursuit of signal-callers even more of a priority. The Browns restructured their deal with Watson. With that, Cleveland opened up over $35 million in cap space for next season. Now, over the next two years, Watson will make a minimum in 2025 while going back up to a salary of $46 million in 2026.

Cleveland is looking at veterans, yes, but it also owns the No. 2 overall pick in next month’s NFL Draft. That brings us to Miami‘s Cam Ward and Colorado‘s Shedeur Sanders. Ward is the consensus top quarterback available and is expected to go No. 1 to Tennessee. Depending on what happens with any of the aforementioned names above, Sanders could be the play at No. 2. And according to Fowler, the Browns do like parts of Sanders’ game.

“That leaves them with the No. 2 overall pick. There is love in that building for both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders,” Fowler said. “But the feeling around the league is the Titans could go Ward, that leaves them with Sanders. But I’m told the Browns do like his processing speed and mental game at the line of scrimmage.”

Coming off a 3-14 season, Cleveland appears to be headed towards another rebuild. The question is who will be under center in 2025 and beyond.