Heading into the 2025 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns have the worst of both worlds at the quarterback spot.
On one hand, they have roughly $76 million on the books at the position according to Spotrac, which is among the highest marks in the NFL. While paying a premium for the most important positions in football is less than ideal but largely acceptable, the Browns find themselves with that money split over just two players, as Jameis Winston is being paid over $2 million via a void-year contract.
Ideal? No, but when you consider that the team’s $72 million man, Deshaun Watson, is unlikely to play a single snap for the Browns this fall, partially because of injury, particularly because he’s a lousy quarterback, the fact that fans are trying desperately to find an out in his contract feels rather justified, even if it’s ultimately depressing all the same.
So what are the Browns to do? Should they exclusively play Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who just turned in one of the worst seasons in NFL history by multiple metrics? Or should they just say yolo and make a move for any veteran they can shoehorn onto their roster, be that a trade for Kirk Cousins or Matthew Stafford or signing someone like Aaron Rodgers, who can’t expect to make Jets money after his Jets play?
No, for better or worse, the Browns find themselves in one of the worst financial situations of any team in NFL history, and as a result, they really only have one option when it comes to the 2025 NFL Draft: they need to select the best quarterback available, Cam Ward, and hope he can play like a $72 million quarterback while that money is on the books.
The Browns can’t afford to get cute at QB… literally
With the 2025 NFL Draft still roughly two months away, the professional football world is entering into that funny period of time where pundits, scouts, and experts alike start to overthink and push players up and down boards based on narratives over on-field production.
One such theory? The duo of Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter are simply better prospects than Ward and Shedeur Sanders, who are widely considered the top-2 quarterbacks in this year’s class by a fairly high margin.
Now granted, is that true? Are Carter and Hunter certified blue chippers, while Ward and Sanders are just the best players at their positions? Yes, while some Hurricanes fans may argue otherwise, Carter and Hunter are the best players in this year’s class, with Mason Graham from Michigan arguably worthy of a spot above Ward and company, too.
With that being said, the quarterback is the most important position in the NFL, with the player disproportionately impactful on a game’s final score more so than any other position in the NFL. Considering there’s literally an adage in football popularized by John Madden that states, “If you have two quarterbacks, you have none,” why would a team like the Titans or especially the Browns opt for a “better” position player if they are going to have to compromise on the most important position?
In a perfect world, the Browns would take the best player available and build a long-term contender around them. Unfortunately, in that same perfect world, the Browns wouldn’t have an unplayable $72 million QB under contract and would be able to build a long-term contender in a sustainable way. Because that world doesn’t exist, having Ward under contract for the next five years could effectively ease many of the Browns’ past mistakes and give Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski something to work with moving forward, instead of counting down the days until his contract comes to an end.
Mel Kiper Jr. says Cam Ward to the Browns is legit
On the latest edition of Mel Kiper Jr.’s mock draft, the OG analyst also noted that the Browns really can’t afford to pass on quarterback even if they love a player like Carter or Hunter, noting that if the Titans go elsewhere at pick number one, Ward has to go second to help ease the Watson contract situation.
“I have Sanders ranked slightly ahead of Ward in my own rankings, but mock drafts are supposed to represent what the league thinks and what is likely to happen. And right now, Ward is the consensus QB1 in the class. He can make tough throws from different arm angles, on the move, and under duress. His creativity in and out of the pocket and his arm strength are impressive, leading to 39 touchdown passes in his final college season,” Kiper Jr. wrote.
“Deshaun Watson has been disappointing in Cleveland since the Browns pulled off their megatrade in 2022 and is now out after tearing his right Achilles for the second time in three months. So the Browns need an answer under center, and getting a potential franchise guy on a rookie contract could help them turn things around quickly and soften the blow of Watson’s contract weighing down the team’s salary cap.”
If Watson had worked out, then yeah, give him Hunter as a WR1 and watch Stefanski do his magic, but frankly, it hasn’t worked out. For better or worse, the Browns have to operate like Watson isn’t going to play again, and drafting a player like Ward has a much higher upside at a lower cost than signing a mid-level free agent like Daniel Jones or trading for a star player worth even more. Unless the Browns really love Patriots QB Joe Milton and want to offer a second-rounder for his services, Ward is their best option.
Are fans starting to underrate Cam Ward’s talents?
As the NFL world continues to juggle the top prospects in the lead-up to the 2025 NFL Draft, it’s starting to feel like Ward’s talents are being underrated, with fans seemingly forgetting about all of the great things he can do on the field.
In his draft evaluation for NFL.com, Lance Zierlein broke down what he likes about Ward, which is far more that he doesn’t like.
“A Gunslinger with good size, a big arm, and the mobility to help out his offensive line, Ward can read the full field and operates with average decision-making and processing quickness. Like a shortstop, he rips sidearm rockets that fit into tight windows on all three levels, but his delivery and mechanics cause inconsistencies with placement and accuracy. He is fairly consistent regardless of the coverage scheme he sees, but figuring out disguised coverage on the pro level will take time, and it is not a given he will develop that skill,” Zierlein wrote.
“He looks to strike it rich with aggressive, vertical throws; for better efficiency, he needs to learn to mine for gold with combo reads and rhythm throws. While he has the ability to move the sticks with his legs, he’s more of a pocket passer than a dual-threat quarterback. Pocket mobility helps him extend and make plays out of structure, but the longer he’s off-schedule, the spottier his decision-making can get. With a patient plan and a nurturing offensive coordinator who can accentuate his physical tools while regulating the feast-or-famine elements of his play, Ward could become a good NFL starter inside of his first contract.”
Is Ward the next Jayden Daniels? It’s impossible to say, but the Browns would be silly not to find out, as they have very few other outlets to get high-upside quarterback play in 2025.
The post The $73 million reason the Browns must draft Cam Ward appeared first on ClutchPoints.
