The Browns‘ quarterback situation has been like a never-ending rollercoaster—some highs and plenty of lows. Remember when trading for Deshaun Watson in 2022 was supposed to be the end of our QB carousel? Fast forward to now, and we’ve cycled through more QBs than a sitcom has guest stars. From Watson’s injury woes to Jameis Winston’s interception spree, and even a cameo by Dorian Thompson-Robinson, it’s been a wild ride.

Now, as the free agency is almost here, the Cleveland team is looking to explore the QB market this offseason. They’ve got three options. For starters, they can sign a free agent. Second, with no. 2 overall pick, draft a rookie. Last but not least, and arguably the best option, trade for a proven QB. And the buzz is that the Browns may trade for the veteran Matthew Stafford because they probably need a QB who’s more Breaking Bed Walter White and less season 1 Jesse Pinkman.

According to senior NFL reporter Albert Breer, “If the Rams do make Matt Stafford available via trade, the Browns will be a team that’s in the mix.” On top of that, the reports suggest that big moves like this can convince Myles Garrett to stay in Cleveland. Well, well, looks like the Browns are probably gonna called the master of plot twists if this deal works out. And if it works out, then Stafford’s probably gonna make around $50M in Cleveland this season.

Uh-huh! It isn’t as simple as it sounds. You see, if the Browns go for the Matthew Stafford trade, they’ll get a veteran QB on their roster and the 2025 third-round pick (No. 90). The catch? Well, they’ve to give up the 2026 first-round pick and 2025 third-round pick.

Now imagine: Stafford lands in Cleveland. Sure, he could be the perfect fit for the team, considering his history of joining a new team and winning the Super Bowl. However, it may not be a long-term deal. The reason’s pretty simple. The guy’s 37-years-old and is probably gonna play only a couple more seasons.

That means if the team’s looking for a QB1, they can trade for him. However, they will require a rookie QB in the 2025 NFL draft (either at no. 2 overall or in the second round) to get mentorship from Stafford.

Additionally, the QB’s performance can also come into play. The QB wrapped up his 2024 season with a 65.8 percent of his pass attempts for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Besides, ever since Matthew Stafford joined the Rams, the team qualified for the postseason every time under his leadership, except for the 2022 season.

So yeah, if the Rams decide to trade Stafford, the Browns are indeed in the mix. However, amidst all this, the team’s looking to part ways with some of the veteran players.

The Browns are parting ways with the veteran Safety

In 2023, the Browns signed safety Juan Thornhill, on a three-year $21 million deal. Thornhill landed in Cleveland after winning two Super Bowls with the Chiefs. The guy played a couple of seasons with the team and before entering the final year of his contract, the Browns are reportedly ready to release him.

Reports say Thornhill’s camp and the team talked in recent days and decided to part ways now. The safety had one year and $7m left on his deal. That means, the 29-year-old’s got a few weeks before free agency to find his next home.

You see, Browns’ HC Kevin Stefanski put his faith in Thornhill as the starting QB for his first two seasons. But guess what? Thornhill’s calf had other plans—keeping him sidelined after just 11 games each year. He wrapped up his two seasons while recording 103 tackles and four pass breakups.

With the team reportedly letting him go, they’ll pocket $3.4 million in cap space as a post-June 1 cut, since Thornhill’s $2.5M base salary in 2025 wasn’t guaranteed. Now, it is safe to say that the Browns are out here making chess moves—whether it’s hunting for their next QB1 or cutting ties with veteran players to free up some cash. It’ll be interesting to see how the team shapes up moving forward.