What happens when a near quarter-billion-dollar gamble backfires so spectacularly that it becomes a cautionary tale? The Cleveland Browns bet everything on a quarterback they hailed as their savior, only to watch their future implode by 2025—drowning in salary-cap hell, quarterback chaos, and a fanbase screaming into the void. Now, a three-time Super Bowl champ is dragging them for inventing a new kind of failure: ‘They didn’t just mess up… they ‘Browned’ it.’ How do you turn hope into a punchline? Ask Cleveland. The answer’s uglier than a fumble in the end zone.

Julian Edelman did not hold back when talking about Cleveland’s quarterback mess. “Quarterback contract put them in the grave. It’s hard to be the future in Cleveland,” he said, roasting the Browns for handing Deshaun Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million deal—a move that looked wild then and somehow looks even worse now. With Watson missing time due to injuries (which he has mostly recovered from)and off-field drama, the Browns are stuck paying the price for a guy who hasn’t even been on the field enough to make a real impact.

Julian Edelman also pointed out what Browns fans have been screaming for a while—Cleveland had their future, and they let him walk. “I think their future is in Tampa right now that they got rid of. And that’s Baker Mayfield, the future that they had, they got rid of.” And yeah, that one really stings. Mayfield just put up 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions while completing 71.4% of his passes with the Bucs last season. He led Tampa Bay to the playoffs, proving that maybe, just maybe, Cleveland gave up on him too soon.

Beyond the bad decisions, Julian Edelman actually feels for Browns fans, because he knows they’ve been through it. “I feel terrible for the Cleveland Browns because I went to school in Northeast Ohio. And I know those people… they live, dive, breathe the Browns, and they’re fed up with it.” And honestly? Who could blame them? Their team mortgaged its future for Watson, and now they’re left scrambling to fix the mess.

The latest attempt at a solution? Kenny Pickett. But not everyone’s buying it. NFL analyst Mike Florio called Pickett nothing more than a “cheap insurance policy” on Pro Football Talk, saying, “I think Pickett was just a cheap insurance policy. They were out on Dorian Thompson-Robinson; they were able to move him and bring in Kenny Pickett.” He also threw some shade at Pickett’s skill level, adding, “If the (Carolina) Panthers had taken him at a time when they had Sam Darnold. Pickett shows up for the first day of his workouts, and Darnold’s there, and they both throw the ball, and there’s no comparing the two.”

Meanwhile, the Browns are still drowning in Deshaun Watson’s contract. They restructured his deal to free up $35.75 million in cap space, but they still owe him $92 million. The latest restructure, per ESPN’s Field Yates, cleared nearly $36 million, just enough to get the Browns under the cap before the new league year. Before that, they were sitting $22 million over, basically forced to make a move. Deshaun Watson still has two years left on his five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal, pulling in $46 million a season while rehabbing from his re-torn Achilles. The Browns don’t expect him back for most of 2025, which only makes their situation even messier.

At the end of the day, Cleveland went all-in on a quarterback who was supposed to change their future, and instead, they’re stuck in the same old cycle. Their Super Bowl dreams? Crushed. Their financial flexibility? Gone. Their fanbase? Over it. And as Edelman put it best—they didn’t just mess up. They Browned it.

Browns keep QB options open as Stefanski tries to fix the mess

Even after trading for Kenny Pickett, the Browns aren’t done hunting for quarterbacks. With Deshaun Watson’s twice-torn Achilles making his future a giant question mark, head coach Kevin Stefanski is keeping his options wide open. They could bring in a veteran like Russell Wilson, draft a QB early, or even do both—because right now, the only sure thing about Cleveland’s quarterback room is uncertainty.

One new name in the mix? Louisville QB Tyler Shough is set to visit the Browns soon. This dude has been everywhere—Oregon, Texas Tech, and Louisville. But finally put together a solid 2024 season. He threw for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six picks, completing 62.7% of his passes. He also balled out at the Senior Bowl, which definitely helped his draft stock. But at 26 years old and with a history of injuries, he’s a wildcard pick.

Cleveland has some big decisions ahead. If they don’t take a QB at No. 2 overall, they could grab one later—maybe even Shough at 33rd overall—or use their seven other picks to trade around. They’ve already hosted Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders on pre-draft visits, adding more fuel to the speculation. On top of that, they’re set to get some cap relief from Watson’s contract insurance after he missed 10 games in 2024. But let’s be real—no amount of small wins can hide the fact that Cleveland’s QB situation is still a giant dumpster fire.

Bottom line? Stefanski isn’t taking any chances. As Mike Florio already called Pickett a “cheap insurance policy,” the Browns are making sure they have more than just a backup plan. Whether they roll with a veteran, a rookie, or both, they’re doing everything they can to avoid another QB disaster.