Browns Can Now Aim North for 2025 Veteran Quarterback

The Cleveland Browns are considering their next move at quarterback for 2025, and they may have seen good news on the NFL free-agent front on Tuesday.

After news surfaced that Deshaun Watson suffered his second ACL tear in three months back in January, the Browns immediately entered crisis mode.

With Watson likely to miss all of 2025 and potentially having played his last down of football in Cleveland, general manager Andrew Berry could be looking at the No. 2 overall pick in April's NFL Draft for an answer.

They also could look to target a veteran in free agency. Against that backdrop, good news came across the wire on Tuesday when the Minnesota Vikings announced they would not be using their franchise tag on Sam Darnold.

The franchise tag would've paid Darnold a fully guaranteed $40.242 million next season. Now, that won't be happening.

Other reports are that the Vikings would like to keep Darnold into next season. But unless they can come to an agreement before March 12, other teams can also make Darnold an offer. The Vikings are counting on 2023 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy to be fully healthy next season to start under center after tearing his ACL last offseason.

That injury thrust Darnold into the starting job where he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns.

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Darnold is currently the No. 2 overall available free agent according to Pro Football Talk, and will garner a ton of interest from teams hoping to add a veteran quarterback - including the Browns.