The Cleveland Browns could still look at the quarterback market to try and find their long-term answer.
Cleveland kept four quarterbacks on the roster, but Dillon Gabriel was placed on the IR. The Browns will start Deshaun Watson to begin the season, but his future in Cleveland is unclear.
Ahead of Week 1, the Browns are urged to make a bold move to acquire another quarterback.
Cleveland Browns Urged to Acquire Tanner McKee
Cleveland has Shedeur Sanders as its backup and also drafted Taylen Green as a developmental quarterback.
However, the Browns could still make a move to acquire a quarterback. NFL analyst Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report urges the Browns to make a move for a quarterback.
“The Deshaun Watson era has brought nothing but woe to the Cleveland Browns. Yet, the franchise is set to give him another shot. It should be his last,” Ballentine wrote. “The fact that he was named the starter doesn’t speak very highly of Monken’s evaluation of Sanders, either. Ultimately, the solution at quarterback doesn’t appear to be on the roster at this point,” Ballentine wrote.
The Browns have options, but Ballentine believes Eagles backup Tanner McKee makes some sense.
“The answer might not be on the roster, but the Browns don’t seem likely to find one on the trade block either. They kept four quarterbacks going into the season with Gabriel going to the injured reserve to start the year. … The Eagles added Andy Dalton in the offseason and also drafted Cole Payton in the fifth round. They might be willing to part with intriguing backup Tanner McKee.”
McKee was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Eagles after his college career at Stanford. Cleveland could likely acquire him for a mid-round pick and he could potentially be the starter for the Browns.
McKee has appeared in 6 NFL games and started 2 going 1-1. In his NFL career, he’s 54-of-88 for 597 yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 interception, showing flashes of being an impact quarterback.
Todd Monken Confident in QB Play
Despite the Browns having some question marks at quarterback, head coach Todd Monken isn’t.
Monken believes Deshaun Watson can get back to the quarterback he was and help the Browns offense push the ball down the field.
“You’re not going to be elite on offense and score points if you can’t create explosive. It’s so hard to drive the football the length of the field without an explosive,” Monken said on Sept. 1 “You can look at the studies in terms of percentage of scoring a touchdown or getting a field goal with one explosive in a drive. Obviously, that comes after you’ve gotten the first first down. Every coordinator is going to say we’re chasing explosives, and everyone runs with, “Oh chasing explosives.” Well, no s***. Everyone’s chasing explosives and trying to not to turn it over.
“And that’s what you’re trying to do. What’s the defense trying to do? Turn you over and not allow explosives. That’s really the big chess match is that. The ways that you win. So, obviously having explosive players helps that. Being able to scheme it up against certain looks and then being able to execute because your protection has to hold up when you get those opportunities. I’m confident in Deshaun and our ability to push the ball down the field, otherwise we wouldn’t be starting him.”
The Browns are 7.5-point underdogs against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1.
Browns Urged to Acquire ‘Intriguing’ Quarterback From Eagles