The Cleveland Browns find themselves in a tight spot as NFL free agency approaches, with limited financial flexibility making the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft their best chance at improvement.
While many teams are gearing up for big-money signings, the Browns are facing what PFF analyst Mason Cameron calls a “desperate” situation heading into the draft.
In his latest breakdown, Mason Cameron pinpointed the Cleveland Browns as the most desperate team entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
“A massive quarterback contract often makes roster management a delicate dance, and when that quarterback has an extensive injury history, the task becomes nearly impossible. The situation puts extensive pressure on this franchise to find foundational pieces in the draft. Fortunately, Cleveland possesses the No. 2 overall selection, but with it comes a franchise-altering decision: Take one of the class’s top quarterbacks and deal with Watson’s contract fallout down the road, or find an impact player to fill one of their various other needs?” Cameron wrote.
The Browns’ predicament is particularly challenging as they enter the 2025 NFL Draft with one of the league’s most problematic roster situations.
Balancing a huge quarterback contract is tough for any team, but Deshaun Watson’s injury history has made it a nightmare scenario in Cleveland.
Watson now carries an eye-watering $72.9 million cap hit and is expected to miss the entire season after retearing his surgically repaired Achilles.
This unfortunate development has cranked up the pressure on general manager Andrew Berry, who now faces a critical crossroads with the No. 2 overall pick.
The decision weighs heavily: should the Browns select one of the draft’s premier quarterback talents and worry about Watson’s contract implications later, or should they use this premium pick to address the numerous other holes in their roster?
The clock is ticking for Cleveland’s front office as they navigate perhaps the most consequential draft in recent franchise history.
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