The Cleveland Browns have been in the hunt for a franchise quarterback for more than two decades.
They’ve tried everything from dual-threat athletes to old-school gunslingers.
They’ve pursued them in free agency, gotten them in the NFL Draft, or traded for them, and nothing has worked.
Of course, that doesn’t mean they’re not going to keep trying.
With that in mind, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot revealed that the team will likely be interested in making a run at Matthew Stafford:
“Now that Stafford, a 17th-year pro, has been given permission by the Rams to talk to other teams about his market value, it would behoove the Browns to at least have the conversation as part of their due diligence on all of the available veteran quarterbacks. It seems as though the Rams are mostly giving Stafford a chance to set his price as he heads into the second-last year of his $40 million-a-year deal. But it would still make sense for the Browns to at least check in with Stafford’s agent, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they do,” Cabot said.
The Los Angeles Rams have reportedly granted Stafford’s agent permission to speak to other teams.
The Browns are reportedly going to go after a veteran to be their bridge quarterback, and it’s hard to think of a better one than the former Super Bowl champion.
Of course, making the numbers work will be tricky, and he’s not particularly young, but it might work.
Also, getting a player of Stafford’s caliber could end up having a big ripple effect, as it might be more than enough to convince Myles Garrett to rescind his trade request and run it back in Cleveland.
Granted, there are many “ifs,” and Stafford would essentially have to agree to this trade.
However, it would be the best possible scenario for this team from a football perspective.
Stafford could give this team two to three years at a high level, which would also enable them to draft a better player in the NFL Draft and pursue a quarterback in a much richer class in 2026.
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