Browns Could Pry 'Dream' Offseason Target Away From Hated Rival

The Cleveland Browns absolutely need to find an answer at quarterback this offseason, and it's looking more and more like they don't feel comfortable adding one via the NFL Draft.

It's a rather strange situation considering that the Browns own the No. 2 overall pick and will have a chance Shedeur Sanders and/or Cam Ward (depending on what the Tennessee Titans do before them) this April, but it doesn't seem like Cleveland is enamored with either signal-caller.

As a result, the Browns may decide to explore the free-agent market, and while there typically are never many great quarterback options in free agency, one very interesting target will be available in March: Justin Fields.

Fields spent the 2024 campaign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, primarily serving as Russell Wilson's backup. He did start the first six games of the season while Wilson was injured, but immediately went to the bench once Wilson returned.

Candace Pedraza of Dawg Pound Daily has labeled Fields a "dream" pickup for Cleveland, noting that his cost would actually make him a viable addition for the club based on projections by ESPN's Bill Barnwell.

"He added at the end of the tier section that the average annual projected salary for quarterbacks in under this umbrella falls in the range of $7 million to $16 million," Pedraza wrote. "That's more or less the range that the Browns would love to be able to land around this offseason to get a starting quarterback, especially as they just got Juan Thornhill off the books who was due for $7 million this season."

Fields was originally selected by the Chicago Bears with the 11th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons with the Bears, but things did not exactly work out, resulting in the Ohio State product being traded to the Steelers last offseason.

The 25-year-old definitely has talent, so it will be interesting to see if the Browns do consider making a run at him in the coming weeks.