The Cleveland Browns just made the biggest move of their season by demoting Joe Flacco in favor of rookie QB Dillon Gabriel, but more roster shakeups could be on the way soon — including under center.
There is the ever-present Shedeur Sanders and the possibility that he could get a look this season if Gabriel suffers injury or struggles, though head coach Kevin Stefanski decided not to elevate Sanders into the QB2 role after promoting Gabriel to the starting job.
What that says about how the Browns feel about Sanders could ultimately lead to the team exploring a trade involving its second rookie QB ahead of the NFL’s November 4 deadline. And as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler pointed out on Wednesday, October 1, it could also mean that Cleveland makes a deal for another veteran signal-caller before the chance to do so expires five weeks from now.
“It’s uncertain where Cleveland will be from a roster-building standpoint three or four weeks from now. [Russell] Wilson would be a low-cost play if the Browns aren’t satisfied with Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders,” Fowler wrote. “And Cleveland explored the [Kirk] Cousins situation before ultimately signing Joe Flacco, trading for [Kenny] Pickett and drafting two passers.”
Wilson is a 10-time Pro Bowler and a former Super Bowl champion with nearly 47,000 passing yards, 353 TDs and 114 INTs in his career. He started three games (0-3) for the New York Giants this season, amassing 786 passing yards, three TDs and three INTs over that stretch.
Russell Wilson Makes More Sense Than Kirk Cousins as Browns’ Trade Target
GettyNew York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson.
Cousins is carrying a base salary of $27.5 million in 2025, and the Browns own two first-round picks in a relatively loaded 2026 QB draft class — all of which renders a trade with the Atlanta Falcons for the 37-year-old veteran fairly unlikely.
Wilson, on the other hand, would be inexpensive and relatively easy to acquire when compared to Cousins and his situation.
Cleveland had some level of interest in Wilson before he signed with the Giants, and his $2 million base salary makes him very tradable,” Fowler continued.
Deshaun Watson Could Factor Into Browns’ QB Plans in 2025 if He Returns Healthy Before Season Ends
GettyQuarterback Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns.
There is also the possibility of Deshaun Watson’s return to healthy status for Cleveland to consider.
Watson continues rehabilitation from a twice-torn Achilles tendon, but the Browns can open his practice window this month and October is on the early side of Watson’s potential return timeline.
Cleveland would surely prefer Watson remain sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 campaign, as that result allows the Browns to fully cash in on his player health insurance policy and would also create significant salary cap savings for the franchise.
But if Watson is, in fact, healthy and decides to push for a return to active status, the team may not be able to stop that from happening. In that scenario, making a trade for another veteran QB would be superfluous.
Should Cleveland decide to bench Gabriel and shelve Sanders, then either Flacco or Watson would likely finish out a lost year. Watson remains in just the fourth season of his five-year, $230 million contract, which the team has fully guaranteed.
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