When Cleveland Browns fans heard their team linked with Kirk Cousins, eyebrows were raised and questions asked. The Browns, hungry for playoff success, are considering adding the $180 million QB, but is he really their solution? One analyst is already casting doubts.
NFL Analyst Throws Shade At Kirk Cousins Amid Browns Rumors
FS1 analyst Chris Broussard isn’t buying into the Cousins hype. His skepticism centers on Cousins’ track record when it comes to transforming teams into genuine Super Bowl contenders.
The Browns’ interest in Cousins comes amid uncertainty at the quarterback position. Deshaun Watson, who signed a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract in 2022, has dealt with a torn Achilles and off-field issues.
But even when he has played, he has struggled mightily, causing Browns owner Jimmy Haslam to refer to the Watson contract as “a big swing and miss.”
The Browns recently acquired Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles, but he seems like more of a depth piece than a long-term solution.
The potential acquisition of Cousins has elicited mixed reactions. Broussard voiced doubts about Cousins’ ability to transform the Browns into contenders.
“Contender? With all due respect to Kirk Cousins, who’s had a nice career, when has a team ever been a contender with Kirk Cousins, even when he was at his best?” Broussard said.
“He’s 1-3 in the playoffs — he’s made the playoffs four times in, what, 13 years? His best season, when they were 13-4 in Minnesota, they got beat by the Wild Card Giants and Daniel Jones! So, no. They’re better. But not a contender.”
Are the Browns a contender with Kirk Cousins? @Chris_Broussard answers:
“Contender? No. With all due respect to Kirk Cousins, who’s had a nice career, when has a team ever been a contender with Kirk Cousins, even when he was at his best?” pic.twitter.com/6523KBM06n
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) April 3, 2025
Cousins has had a respectable NFL career, with notable stints in Washington and Minnesota. Over 13 seasons, he has amassed 42,979 passing yards and 288 touchdowns, earning four Pro Bowl selections. However, his career has been marred by a lack of postseason success, leading some to question his ability to lead a team deep into the playoffs.
In the 2024 NFL season with the Atlanta Falcons, Cousins threw for 3,508 yards with 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He was the 24th-best quarterback in the league in PFSN’s QB+ metric. After struggling with turnovers and consistency, he was ultimately benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr.
The Browns’ quarterback situation has been tumultuous. With Watson’s future uncertain and Pickett’s readiness in question, the Browns are exploring all options. They hold the No. 2 pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, with prospects like Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders under consideration. However, drafting a rookie quarterback carries its own set of uncertainties.
How Does Cousins Compare To Browns’ Recent QBs?
When compared to the Browns’ recent quarterbacks, Cousins’ career passer rating (97.8) surpasses Watson’s passer rating during his time in Cleveland. While Cousins was nothing to write about home about in 2024, he was better than Watson in PFSN’s QB+ metric, as the Browns QB ranked 39th out of 39 qualified quarterbacks.
Additionally, Cousins has been durable throughout his NFL career, missing minimal games due to injury, a stark contrast to the injury-plagued seasons of his predecessors.
Cleveland boasts talent, particularly with Myles Garrett anchoring the defense. Still, recent history demonstrates the Browns have struggled to convert talent into tangible postseason success. Adding Cousins might not take the team to the next level — even if he’s a better bridge QB than Pickett.
Ultimately, Cousins joining Cleveland would generate headlines and spark some hope. But as Broussard’s pointed criticism suggests, excitement and investment don’t always equate to true contention. For the Browns, the Cousins debate isn’t merely about financial feasibility. It’s about overcoming decades of frustration and genuinely competing.