Watson is out - Who is in?

After the Cleveland Browns were able to complete a great comeback against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, November 12th Browns fans were on top of the world. Watson could go 14-14 in the second half and look like his old self. During the morning of November 15th, 2023 it was reported that Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending broken shoulder on his throwing arm. Reports said the Cleveland Browns had a chance to perform well in the playoffs but the season is now in trouble without QB1. The Browns are looking at P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (DTR) to lead the 6-3 Browns to the playoffs. They have named DTR as the starter for week 11, so we shall see if he can turn it around from his 19-36 for 124 yards and 3 interceptions versus the Baltimore Ravens on October 1st. Now, the question many people are asking is what other moves can the Browns potentially do to help better the team? Let’s take a look at some other potential options for Cleveland.

Honorable Mention: Tom Brady

Let’s be honest, this idea is a pipe dream for Browns fans and Tom Brady fans, but it would be great to see. Tom Brady seems to be enjoying retirement with investments in the WNBA, Pickleball, and the NFL. If Tom Brady would be willing to sign with Cleveland he would have to sell or diverge his investment with the Las Vegas Raiders, which could be difficult. The Browns would have to work hard with Brady to get him in a Cleveland Browns uniform, but it would be fun to have the 7x Super Bowl champion on the Browns with their top defense. 

Colt McCoy

Colt McCoy was released by the Arizona Cardinals earlier this year when the team acquired Joshua Dobbs from the Browns. He did play for Cleveland from 2010-2012 which could help the team arrive at a deal. He has a career 62.6% completion rate with just under 8,000 yards. He does not have the arm to throw deep passes, which could hurt the Browns game with longer passes to Amari Cooper and Marquise Goodwin. McCoy is 37 years old so he has the experience but they would have to evaluate if he is better than the other options. 

Cam Newton

I am not sold on this option, but it could be an interesting idea. Now Cam Newton has not played football since 2021 where he only played 8 games for the Carolina Panthers. He might not be interested in still playing football, but if the Browns start to struggle they can look to a guy with a career 59.9% completion rate, 32,382 Yards, and 194 touchdowns. If Walker and DTR struggle in the next game or two it could be helpful to at least try Newton out if he wants to.

Nick Foles

Could Nick Foles bring a Super Bowl to Cleveland like he did with Philadelphia? I do not think we will ever know, but his veteran experience could be helpful to add to the team. Having a career 62.4% completion rate and 14,227 yards could be helpful to give knowledge and experience to Walker and DTR in the QB room. Foles Played with the Colts last year so he has relevant experience, but we will see what can happen. 

Matt Ryan

Now Matt Ryan is currently an analyst for CBS and seems to be enjoying his retirement, but he could be persuaded to come back for a few games. A few teams reached out to him last year to see if he would be interested in a comeback and nothing happened. The San Francisco 49ers said they were going to reach out to Matt Ryan if they won the Playoff game last year. Does the 38-year-old still have anything left, who knows, but it couldn’t hurt to try. He does have a career completion rate of 65.6% with 62,792 Yards which could be helpful in a system like the Browns.

Ryan Tannehill

Now this is a new idea, but it could have some traction. Tannehill reportedly asked for his release from Tennessee on 11/15 because he understands his time as the starter is up. They have Will Levis and Malik Willis who are the young duo who will lead the team for the future. Rannehill knows that teams could use him as the starter or even backup where he has more promise so why wouldn’t he try to get put on another team? I think if he becomes available he would be the best option for Cleveland. He has the most relevant experience and could help fit within the system.

Are any of these options the fix for Cleveland, who knows, but could bring in a vet help? If they are the starter or help on the bench, it will help Walker and DTR gain experience. Hopefully, Cleveland can figure it out quickly, because if they do not then their whole season can go to waste quickly.