Five Potential Options at Quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in 2026
In an ongoing trend for the franchise since they returned from a near extinction in 1999, the Cleveland Browns are still looking for someone they can be confident in at the quarterback position. Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel started in a combined 13 games for the Browns in 2025, which resulted in a 4-9 record, and neither really solidified themselves as “the guy” for Cleveland moving forward. Sanders is the fan-favorite and showed signs of promise in games against the Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders, displaying his upside with decent arm strength, and became the first Browns quarterback since Eric Zeier in 1995 to win his first career start. However, the ugly side of Sanders' game came out far too often, as he turned the ball over at least once in all but one of his starts, and ended the season with a quarterback rating of 18.9, the worst single-season mark for any Browns quarterback with at least six starts. Gabriel wasn’t the worst quarterback that Cleveland has ever seen, but a left-handed, 205-pound, five-foot-eleven quarterback is not exactly the mold of a star NFL signal caller. There’s also the fallen star that is Deshaun Watson, who hasn’t played since he tore his Achilles in 2024, and performed horribly even when he was healthy, to the tune of a 1-6 record and a QBR of 21. Although the franchise may be reluctant to do the new quarterback song and dance again, the hiring of Todd Monken signals a scheme change, and potentially a new quarterback as well. Cleveland also acquired Houston Texans right tackle Tytus Howard on Monday, which helps bolster a depleted offensive line. With both NFL Free Agency and the 2026 NFL Draft coming sooner than later, here are five options the Browns could explore at the quarterback position.
Malik Willis - Green Bay Packers
The option of Malik Willis can only be explored if Cleveland figures out a way to reconstruct the contracts of Watson and other highly paid players, such as Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward. Should the Browns free up cap space, Willis is the headline quarterback of this year’s free agent class. After a disappointing two-year stint with the Titans after being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Willis found himself as the backup to Green Bay Packers starter Jordan Love in 2024. After Love suffered an injury during the Packers' game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil, Willis was thrust into action for the following two games, in which he performed very well across two Green Bay victories, posting passer ratings of 126.8 and 120.9, respectively. In four starts this season, the Packers went 2-2 with Willis at the helm. The 26-year-old out of Liberty showed signs that he can be a viable starting quarterback in this league in 2025, and even went toe-to-toe with Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in an epic duel this past December. Willis could command anywhere from 20 million to 30 million dollars on the open market, but the Browns should consider pulling the trigger on a young, experienced signal caller if they can find the money.
Tyler Huntley - Baltimore Ravens
Throughout his six-year career, Tyler Huntley has often flirted with being on the Cleveland Browns, but has never actually suited up for them in a regular season game. The 2022 Pro Bowl quarterback was in Cleveland each of the previous two preseasons throughout NFL Training Camp, but never found himself on the 53-man roster for Week One. Huntley is mainly known for being the longtime backup to Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, coming whenever Jackson was hurt and putting up decent results for the Ravens. Huntley actually got the best of Willis in Week 17 in Lambeau, leading Baltimore to a 41-24 victory in which he completed 80 percent of his passes for a passer rating of 105.6. Out of all of the quarterbacks on this list, the 28-year-old Huntley is the most likely to suit up for Cleveland next season. Not only does he have experience working in a locker room with Sanders and Gabriel, but Huntley also has a connection with Monken as well. Coupled with the fact that the Browns shouldn’t have to cough up too much money, keep an eye out for Huntley to be a potential bridge quarterback for Cleveland in 2026.
Kyler Murray - Arizona Cardinals
If the Browns feel like looking past the injuries, Kyler Murray is an intriguing option for Cleveland’s hole at quarterback. The Arizona Cardinals are expected to either trade or release the often-injured Murray, with the latter being the general consensus expectation. Due to an ACL tear in 2022 and a foot injury in 2025, the 28-year-old Murray hasn’t been able to live up to the high expectations that a former first overall draft pick gets. With Murray, the Cardinals saw stretches where he could lead the team to dominant stretches, like Arizona’s boom years of 2020 and 2021, or a four-game winning streak in 2024 in which Murray held a passer rating of 104 and amassed 982 yards from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns. Murray has been the ultimate what if for Arizona, and unfortunately for him, Cardinals fans may view him as a bust when his career comes to a conclusion. Yet, the potential is still there, and we’ve seen quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield turn their careers around, so Murray can definitely achieve that under the right circumstances in Cleveland.
Drew Allar - Penn State
A native of Medina, Ohio, Drew Allar grew up a fan of the Browns and graduated from Medina High School, just a 38-minute drive from Cleveland. Instead of going down to Columbus to become a Buckeye, Allar opted to go east and become the starter for the majority of his four-year career at Penn State. After leading the Big Ten in passing touchdowns in 2023, Allar then took the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff Semifinals in 2024, losing to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a heartbreaker. Instead of potentially being drafted by the Browns with the second pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Allar returned to Happy Valley in hopes of a National Championship. What followed was a disastrous 2026 campaign, in which his head coach, James Franklin, was fired, and upset losses to UCLA and Northwestern ultimately led to a disappointing finish in the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson. Allar’s season was cut short due to an ankle injury, but he has made appearances at the NFL Combine and is looking to redeem himself after a disappointing year. In a draft class where there’s a significant drop at the quarterback position behind Fernando Mendoza, the Browns may be forced to select a quarterback earlier than they really should, but Cleveland can take a gamble considering their draft capital and already-present resources at the positon. Allar may be a work in progress, but the Cleveland fan base would be more than happy to have one of their own leading the Browns, and he has the tools to be a competent quarterback.
Taylen Green- Arkansas
Out of all of the quarterbacks available in this year’s draft, Taylen Green is the best athlete by far. A former track and field athlete, Green made headlines this past weekend when he set the quarterback records for the vertical and broad jump, before running the second-fastest 40-yard dash time for a quarterback in NFL Combine history. Physically, he’s comparable to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf, which is absolutely insane for someone of Green’s position. Although his physical abilities jump off the page, his college numbers will not be enough for him to be drafted in the first round. Green had an issue with turnovers in college, throwing 20 interceptions in two seasons with the Arkansas Razorbacks. This past season, the Razorbacks lost all of their last ten games with Green as their starter. The all-world athlete quarterback may not have had the college career of other prospects up for grabs this year, but none of them can compare to the intangibles of Green. Monken does prefer a system with mobile quarterbacks, and if the Browns can’t find someone on the market, then Green may enter the already young and crowded Cleveland quarterback room.
