The Cleveland Browns entered the 2025 NFL offseason with a salary cap issue, needing to reduce salaries or release players to meet the league’s threshold.
Cleveland did that through restructured contracts and terminating veteran’s contracts, giving the Browns some wiggle room to make a handful of deals this season.
It’s also created questions about what the Browns can offer a veteran quarterback to come in and compete for their starting role this season.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot hinted at what Cleveland has to offer a veteran quarterback for the 2025 NFL season, noting that the starting salary would be well below the average for this high-priced position.
“It’s your bridge quarterback, and someone who’s probably going to make six million dollars a year plus incentives to maybe get you up to 15 million, 16 million dollars a year,” Cabot said.
Cabot noted that the Browns can be “patient” in identifying which quarterback the team should sign on for the 2025 season.
The insider revealed several factors outside of Cleveland’s control that could impact their decision, naming free agents Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson as the dominos that will fall before the Browns make their move.
She also hinted that the Browns would prefer Wilson to become their “bridge” quarterback for the 2025 NFL season, but later added that Carson Wentz is also an option for the franchise.
Cleveland’s salary cap issues are due to the large cap hit the team is absorbing from Deshaun Watson’s contract.
The Browns restructured his salary multiple times over the past two years, and he entered the season with more than a $70 million cap hit for 2025.
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