Browns Linked to Shocking Potential Free Agent QB Target

The Cleveland Browns have been linked to a shocking potential free agent quarterback target.

Aug 25, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson (4) prepares to pass in the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns are going to need to make some kind of move at the quarterback position this offseason. It has become very clear that Deshaun Watson is not going to turn things around and become the franchise guy that the team acquired him to be.

Looking ahead to the upcoming offseason, the Browns need to figure something out now. They cannot afford to keep wasting time.

Many believe that Cleveland could pursue an option like Kirk Cousins or Aaron Rodgers. Others think that the Browns might just find a way to land one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.

However, there is a new name that has come up as a potential target for Cleveland.

Max Dible of Heavy has suggested that Zach Wilson could be a potentially intriguing option. He noted the success that Sam Darnold and Geno Smith have had after rough starts to their respective careers. Wilson could potentially do the same.

"All the writing on the wall in Cleveland points to a new quarterback coming in from the outside in 2025, and Wilson represents a reasonable one-year value play if the Browns don’t swing for the fences at the top of the draft come April," Dible wrote.

Wilson could be an intriguing target. When he first came into the NFL as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, most expected him to develop into a star. Instead, he has struggled mightily throughout his first four years.

One of the big issues for Wilson was how mucht he New York media dogged on him. Anytime he made even the slightest mistake, they ripped him repeatedly.

In 34 career games, Wilson ended up completing 57 percent of his pass attempts for 6,293 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions. He also picked up 498 yards and scored five touchdowns on the ground.

At just 25 years old, however, there is still time for Wilson to right the ship and get his career back on track.

Bringing Wilson in would do no harm to the Browns. If things didn't work out, they could simply move on from him after one season.

Granted, it would be much better to get an elite quarterback in the NFL Draft, but Wilson is still young and could be a long-term option if he puts everything together. He's worth taking a cheap gamble on.

While it wouldn't be the kind of move that Cleveland fans want to see, taking a chance on Wilson could also end up paying off in a big way.