The Cleveland Browns decided to further fill out their quarterback room prior to the 2025 NFL Draft by signing veteran Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco to a one-year deal.
This means the Browns now have Deshaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, and Flacco under contract for next season while also having the No. 2 pick in the draft. If a fan was asked prior to the additions of Pickett and Flacco what the Browns will do with the selection, most would’ve said either Miami QB Cam Ward or Colorado signal-caller Shedeur Sanders.
However, more than ever it appears Cleveland’s front office is willing to be patient on adding the future face of their franchise, opening the door for a possible trade.
Browns Predicted To Trade Down for Franchise-Changing Offensive Talent
Franchise-changing talents will be hard to come by in a rather weak 2025 QB class, but the Browns may have the opportunity to trade down and still land one.
NFL.com’s latest mock draft from Rhett Lewis predicts the Browns and Raiders to swap Round 1 picks, leaving Cleveland to select Boise State superstar running back Ashton Jeanty at No. 6.
“The Browns absolutely could entertain a QB here, but a game-changing RB like Jeanty would help Kenny Pickett (or, perhaps, Kirk Cousins if a trade with Atlanta comes to fruition) in the near term and ease the transition for a rookie quarterback down the road,” Lewis wrote.
In Lewis’ scenario, Sanders is still available at No. 6, but he must simply believe the Browns are not sold on his talent, regardless of how early they’re selecting. Not to mention, Cleveland’s offense slotted at No. 32 in PFSN’s Offense+ metric last season, meaning a rookie QB would be entering a miserable situation.
Alternatively, Jeanty transformed Boise State’s offense all on his own in the 2024 campaign as he led them to a College Football Playoff appearance. He recorded 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns on 374 carries while also adding 138 receiving yards and a touchdown.
It’s not often RBs go off the board this early, but with how Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs, and others performed last year, the Browns may be swayed by his potential impact. This is why PFSN’s latest mock draft sees Jeanty landing with the Chicago Bears at No. 10 because many organizations are aware of how he can reshape their offense.
Chances are the Browns will bring back veteran star RB Nick Chubb on a short-term deal despite his steady decline in recent years. Assuming these shortcomings continue for Chubb, he can fully embrace a mentorship role for Jeanty.