After losing Deshaun Watson to season-ending shoulder surgery, the Cleveland Browns are in a precarious position moving forward for the rest of the year. While Watson is likely to still be considered the long-term franchise quarterback for the Browns, replacing him in the short term should be considered a priority. Rookie QB Dorian Thomas-Robinson is expected to get the start in Watson's absence yet again, but it's certainly possible that Cleveland will look for an upgrade at quarterback and swing for the fences with a veteran free-agent QB signing to lead the team into the postseason. Cleveland's defense is too good this year to waste.
If the Browns do go that route, here are the four best quarterback targets for Cleveland to consider in free agency.
4. Colin Kaepernick
Other teams may opt to hide behind the “distraction in the locker room” excuse with Kaepernick, but the Browns don't have any legs to stand on after willfully signing up to deal with Deshaun Watson's sexual assault lawsuits. If Kaepernick can still play — and that's a huge if six years removed from NFL action — the Browns should take the chance and give him a workout, as Kaepernick has shown in the past he can lead a run-first offense deep into the postseason.
The only question the Browns should be asking is this: Does this free-agent quarterback give us a better chance to win than Dorian Thomas-Robinson and PJ Walker? And if the answer is yes, that avenue should be explored. Walker has 6 touchdowns to 16 interceptions and a 54.9 completion percentage in his career, and Dorian Thomas-Robinson hasn't shown any signs of being ready in his first season, so it's not like the bar for a potential improvement is all that high.
Kaepernick isn't the best option in free agency to replace Deshaun Watson, but he is an option. There's no damage done by giving him a workout to see what he can do.
3. Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy was released earlier this year by the Arizona Cardinals, but he's proven to be a capable fill-in over the years. McCoy doesn't have a big arm by any means and can't push the ball downfield, which would hurt Amari Cooper, but he completed an incredible 71 percent of his passes in 12 games with Arizona and can keep the chains moving with dink and dunk action while avoiding any risks. McCoy only threw 4 interceptions across 231 attempts over the last two seasons, which makes him an incredibly trustworthy choice in free agency.
There are bigger names with higher ceilings available in free agency, but if the Browns want to run the ball and play ultra-conservative with a quarterback who won't shoot the offense in the foot with costly mistakes, McCoy is a solid choice. He's probably not going to help you win any shootouts, but the Browns' most logical path to success isn't through throwing the ball 40 times a game no matter who they sign.
2. Cam Newton
Gone are the days of Cam Newton being a singular star who could carry lackluster talent around him to success, but that wouldn't be the job requirement in Cleveland. Newton would provide an interesting element to Cleveland's offense, particularly in the red zone, as a mobile quarterback who could help in short yardage behind a great offensive line. Newton has typically been able to feed high-quality No. 1 receivers like Amari Cooper in the past as well, so this seems like a pretty ideal fit for Newton if he's still interested in playing football.
There are questions as to whether Newton can still push the ball downfield, and accuracy is of course an issue. Still, it's hard to argue that Newton was in a great position to succeed over the last few years of his career with bad teams in New England and Carolina. With more talent around him and a great offensive line giving him time to improvise, Newton could turn back the clocks and make some of those big plays on third downs with his toughness in the pocket and scrambling ability that no other free-agent quarterback can.
If the Browns are looking for playmaking and upside, Newton should be the top choice.
1. Matt Ryan
Who do you trust to come in right away, quickly learn a new playbook, and manage a team successfully? Convincing Matt Ryan to come out of retirement and do just that might be difficult, but he's the best option on the board for Cleveland. He's the most accurate passer available in free agency, he's played more recently than most of the other options, and Ryan has extensive postseason experience, as well.
This is the highest floor choice for the Browns by a good margin. Ryan can keep Amari Cooper rolling better than anyone and could provide the best run-pass balance for Cleveland's offense. Ryan's last season in Indianapolis was wholly forgettable, but he still had some big games even with all the injuries the Colts had last year.
There's something left in the tank here. Put Matt Ryan, 38, with the best team he's had since the Super Bowl run with the Falcons, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he elevated the Browns beyond the level Deshaun Watson had them playing at before his injury. The combination of accuracy, experience, and downfield throwing ability puts Ryan above any other free agent.
Signing Matt Ryan in free agency to replace Deshaun Watson as Browns quarterback for the rest of the season is the best-case scenario for Cleveland.
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