New Comments Add Fuel To Browns’ Malik Willis Buzz

The Cleveland Browns needed to figure out if they had their franchise quarterback on the roster in 2025, and after starting three different QBs and winning only five games, there are still major question marks heading into the 2026 draft. The answer to that question is still uncertain, and it’s going to make the offseason an interesting one.

Shedeur Sanders started the final seven games of the season and showed plenty of mixed results, though he may have done enough to earn a Week 1 nod as the starter. Deshaun Watson’s $80 million cap hit is still looming over the franchise, and when you look at the bigger picture, there’s a reason why so many people are leaning into the rumors of free agent Malik Willis potentially being an option for Cleveland’s next QB.

During a recent appearance on 92.3 The Fan, Aditi Kinkhabwala stopped by to add more validity to the Willis rumors. She is certainly a Willis fan and is keen on the idea of him landing in Cleveland.

“I am very intrigued by Malik Willis. We talked at length to Jordan Love and Matt LaFleur…He’s obviously driven. He’s incredibly athletic. I think all of this makes him an intriguing prospect,” Kinkhabwala said.

"I am very intrigued by Malik Willis. We talked at length to Jordan Love and Matt LaFleur…He's obviously driven. He's incredibly athletic. I think all of this makes him an intriguing prospect."

🚨 @AKinkhabwala w/ @NickWilsonSays and @VulinecJake on where the #Browns QB… https://t.co/YjgsoGvIKZ pic.twitter.com/vK5weB8Zky

— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) February 13, 2026

Willis looked like a completely different quarterback this season when he made his spot starts for Jordan Love and has clearly grown leaps and bounds from the guy he was as a rookie for the Tennessee Titans. It’s unlikely a team will go all in on him this offseason, but he could absolutely land a deal similar to what Justin Fields got from the New York Jets last offseason, when they gave him a two-year, $40 million deal to see if he can surprise some folks and solidify himself as the guy.

Cleveland is over the cap, and the path out of Watson’s contract isn’t palatable until next offseason, so it would be tricky to find a way to bring Willis in. He is also likely ready to capitalize on his improvement and will want to start somewhere, so he won’t be coming here just to be a backup, which could spell trouble for Shedeur Sanders.