One thing that can be said for sure as we head into the personnel side of the 2026 NFL offseason is that the Cleveland Browns might have a new head coach on hand in Todd Monken, but there is absolutely no new clarity on who might be under center in 2026. The Browns’ choices are clear enough: stick with Shedeur Sanders (or, gulp, Deshaun Watson), pluck someone in this draft class, sign a free-agent option or make a trade for someone’s backup.
None of the choices are perfect. Browns fans need not be reminded of the flaws that come with Sanders and Watson. The draft is particularly weak on top-shelf options. Free agency will be limited, assuming Daniel Jones sticks with the Colts. And the trade market has, basically, one serious candidate on the board: Mac Jones of the 49ers.
Or maybe not. According to NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Mac Jones might not be the trade candidate some are hoping he will be.
Mac Jones Was Very Good in 8 Starts
To be sure, it’s not clear that the Browns would have interest in acquiring Mac Jones in a trade. He is not a strong-armed thrower, nor is he particularly mobile, leaving open questions about whether he could work in Todd Monken’s offense. But he was solid this year in 11 appearances, including eight starts in which he went 5-3.
Jones averaged 268.9 yards per game as a starter in 2025, with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions, for a rating of 97.1–which is not bad considering he was working with a receiving corps and an offensive line that was knocked by injuries.
Pro Football Focus graded him out as the No. 15 quarterback in the league, out of 38 (Sanders was No. 38).
But, according to Russini, the 49ers won’t be looking to trade him.
She writes: “For teams looking to swing a deal for 49ers backup QB Mac Jones, I’m told San Francisco is not looking to part with the 2021 first-rounder. Things and offers can change, but the 49ers’ preference is to keep their Brock Purdy-Jones tandem intact for 2026. Jones’ 5-3 record as a starter amid the team’s major injury struggles helped keep San Francisco afloat, and Kyle Shanahan loves what he has in the 27-year-old.”
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Browns Do Not Have a Clear Direction at Quarterback
Again, it’s not clear that the Browns would be at the top of the list of teams looking to trade for Jones, but the fact is, as good as Cleveland’s defense has been, having even just a league-average quarterback would give the Browns a clear path to the postseason.
Jones is heading into the second year of a two-year, $8.5 million contract, giving him the added bonus of being affordable. The 49ers might not want to trade Jones now, but putting out that news could also be a bargaining tactic, signaling a high price tag for a deal.
While Browns GM Andrew Berry was coy on the situation, he did say he’d be open to all options.
“We go into each offseason as if we have an expansion team,” Berry said. “Particularly at quarterback, where it’s the most important position in sports. We’ll always do research in terms of like what opportunities are available on the veteran market and in the draft market. We’ve got to hire a staff first. After that, we’ll certainly pick up the internal assessments with our own roster. But quarterback no different than a number of other positions. You know, we’ll spend a lot of time assessing what options are out there.”
Browns Get Bad News on Potential Top Quarterback Target