Browns
- Browns QB Joe Flacco on returning to Cleveland: “If you would’ve asked me two weeks before it happened, I would’ve said ‘no way.’ Didn’t seem a possibility.” (Mary Kay Cabot)
- Flacco on turning 40: “I want to play and I’m going to play until I can’t.” (Scott Petrak)
- Browns HC Kevin Stefanski on competition at quarterback: Stefanski on the pending QB competition: “Whoever’s in the room is competing for the job. We obviously have a plan, but short of knowing all the particulars, we gotta get through different phases of the offseason. Competition only elevates everybody’s play.” (Zac Jackson)
- Browns CB Denzel Ward said that Travis Hunter reached out to him about working out this offseason. Ward added that he believes Hunter can play both wide receiver and cornerback, noting that cornerback is easier to learn but wide receiver is the more difficult position. (Chris Easterling)
- According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, most teams expect Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders to fall out of the top 10 picks. The Browns are a candidate to try and move back into the first round for Sanders.
- The two also mention sources have made some speculative connections between the Browns and Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart.
- The Browns have continued to take trade calls on the No. 2 pick, per Fowler, who cites a source as saying Cleveland would be “foolish” not to consider moving back.
Browns
The Browns signed Myles Garrett to a record extension, but still have looming questions at quarterback following Deshaun Watson‘s Achilles injury. Mike Sando of The Athletic cites an anonymous executive who questions whether the Browns will tank in 2025 to secure a top quarterback like Texas’s Arch Manning in next year’s draft class.
“It’s such a weak quarterback draft and free-agency class at the position,” the executive said. “Is there a temptation to suck for Arch Manning?”
Another executive points out that Manning isn’t guaranteed to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft and thinks it’d be foolish to sign Garrett with the intention of struggling next season.
“You are not guaranteed Arch Manning is going to come out, or that he will agree to go to Cleveland, so my guess is they draft a quarterback this year,” one executive said. “If you were tanking, I don’t know why you would give Myles Garrett all that money.”
As for the possibility of acquiring Falcons QB Kirk Cousins, one executive doesn’t see it as a possibility given Cousins’ injury history.
“(Kevin) Stefanski knows him, but I cannot see them going with another guy who is older and injured,” another executive said. “Not that Deshaun is old, but he never got going.”
Steelers
- According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, most teams expect Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders to fall out of the top 10 picks. The Steelers are loosely earmarked as his landing spot by other teams, per ESPN, and Pittsburgh does have an appreciation for his game. However, they have other needs and no second-round pick.
- Fowler says he’s heard the Steelers are hoping to take a swing on a young quarterback in either 2026 or 2027. They are projected to have extra capital next year due to compensatory picks.
- Fowler also talked to a current offensive coordinator about where current projected starting Steelers QB Mason Rudolph would rank as a prospect in this class, and the evaluator said third.
- ESPN mentions the Steelers are among the teams showing interest in Ohio State QB Will Howard and Syracuse QB Kyle McCord.
- FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz has heard from other teams that the Steelers might be boxed into taking a quarterback in the first round with no decision from Aaron Rodgers yet. One executive told Schultz: “There’s no way they don’t take a quarterback — or maybe even two — in the draft. Right now it’s just Mason Rudolph. You have zero clarity from Rodgers and you just spent $150 million on [DK] Metcalf. I’m sorry, but you have to address this, and you probably have to do it at 21. If Shedeur’s there and I think he could be, he’s the obvious pick.”
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