Of all the reasonable paths the Cleveland Browns could take to finding a new quarterback to be the team’s starter in 2026, a massive trade for a $230 million player whose team is eager to move on from him sounds far-fetched. And, indeed, it is, especially considering the player in question–that would be the Cardinals’ Kyler Murray–still has three years left on his contract.
This at a time when the Browns are nearly at the end of the arduous task of digging out from under their own terrible $230 million quarterback decision, with Deshaun Watson on the books (and the roster) for this year and next (when he will still be getting paid, but not on the roster).
But at ESPN, as the NFL’s draft combine is underway with the league’s decision-makers gathered in Indianapolis, the speculation about what’s next is running high, especially when it comes to teams without quarterbacks. And that, certainly, includes the Browns.
Kyler Murray as Browns’ 2026 Starter?
On Wednesday, the site posted a compilation titled, “Predicting all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks for 2026 season,” and while most teams know who they’ve got under center going forward, there are a handful of question marks and, as is almost always the case, the Browns are a quarterback question mark.
ESPN says they’ll answer that question with Murray, suggesting that the Seahawks‘ run to the Super Bowl might be a boost for “reclamation” quarterbacks.
The site’s Seth Walder writes: “Cleveland’s eternal search for a quarterback could lead it to Murray. … Murray is due $42.5 million in cash, which hovers around fair value for one season, especially since he’d be under contract for non-guaranteed years at similar prices in 2027 and 2028. Cleveland is tight on cap space (due in large part to quarterback Deshaun Watson’s contract), so I would expect the Cardinals to eat some of Murray’s 2026 money in exchange for a Browns draft pick.”
Kyler Murray Had a Very Good 2024
Walder does make a case for Murray as a sensible bet for the Browns. He struggled with a foot injury last year and played in only five games, but he has very good seasons on his resume, when he can stay on the field. He played 17 games in 2024, and was rated the No. 11 quarterback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus that year, with a grade of 82.1.
He had Pro Bowl appearances in 2020 and 2021, but a torn ACL in December of 2022 cut short both that season and his 2023 season. New coach Todd Monken’s offensive reputation was forged as the coordinator with the Ravens and running quarterback Lamar Jackson, and Murray fits the bill there–he was among the best running quarterbacks in the NFL in 2024.
Financial Question Could Determine Browns Interest
But the financial question appears to be a difficult one to get past. The Browns could get the Cardinals to eat some money by coughing up draft picks but, how much money, and how many picks would the Browns sacrifice to get that $42.5 million whittled down? This is a team, remember, that likely needs to replace its entire offensive line, and needs to add at least one receiver.
And if you’re wondering where incumbent starter Shedeur Sanders fits into the Murray plan, the short answer is: He doesn’t.
Walder notes: “A fifth-round pick whose 18.9 QBR would have been by far the worst in the league had he played enough to qualify ought to be considered the longest of shots, so the Browns should be pursuing other quarterback options.”
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