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The problem is that he looked the exact same in Indy as he looked in Cleveland.


he played 8 games and won 3.
12 td's
8 ints

16/248 for 1,761 yards and a 65% completion


He would be the ideal bridge QB for 3-8 games. That's about all we will get out of him.

j/c...

Screw Flacco, he wins too much…

Not sure why he looked like he did in Indy, but in Cleveland, I'll take that flacco every single day of the week.

Besides, we are really just talking about a bridge QB here. Nobody is expecting him or Wentz or Pickett to be the starter for the next 10 years. (I suppose Pickett is young enough but.....)

Newsome and their 2nd 3rd rounder for Aiyuk - interesting...

Not sure why they'd want a starter. They've been sellers in FA this year.

Just looking at the 49ers needs list, offensive line is a need and DB is a minor need. They aren't deep on defense.

Newsome or Teller might be seen as welcomed additions.

Just no to the 2nd, and I am not sure I would do a 3rd.

Disgruntled receivers don't generally bring huge returns. If we went with one of our 3rd rounders plus a player, I think i would need something like a 4th rounder next year in addition to the receiver.

Plus, even if we don't look to draft Hunter, the possibility we could weakens the niners position. I think I would rather do that anyway. Keep the 3rd rounder so we could package our 2nd and possibly a 3rd to move back in to round 1 to get a QB.
Our 2nd and a 4th could get us back in to the later stages of round one. Our 2nd and a 3rd could get us in to the middle part of the 1st round.

Interesting on the surface but what is the underlying issues?

The Browns may get Aiyuk for the estimated $6.15M as reported above for 2025 for a pre-June 1st trade but he is sitting on a 4-year contract extension through 2028. The $120M contract includes option bonuses in 2025 ($22.855 million) and in 2026 ($24.935 million). Another $31 million in injury guarantees that vest on April 1, 2025. The contract has a $76 million total guarantee package. How those guarantees fall is not completely known.

Aiyuk Proposed Cap Numbers
2025 - $6.15M (actually $6.591M)
2026 - $11.623M
2027 - $37.682M
2028 - $39.558M
2029 void - $9.558M (option guarantee)
2030 void - $4.987M (option guarantee)

The 49ers will pick up dead money cap charges in 2025 for Aiyuk consisting of $18,400,000 for the prorated bonuses previously applied.

If the Browns use Newsome as the trade asset, the Browns will save $13.377M towards the cap on Newsome's fully guaranteed 5th year option.

Of course, the 49ers would absorb that guaranteed contract but get Newsome on the final year of his contract.

If the Browns use Teller as the trade asset (prior to June 1st), the Browns will incur a $19,378,300 dead money cap charge for previously prorated bonuses on Teller.

The 49ers would get Teller in the final year of his contract for $7.3M

Why would anyone want to trade for Aiyuk with his knee and contract for anything more than a 5th?

The late pick is somewhat irrelevant. Taking on the contract and pushing more money into the future is shortsighted and poor roster construction.

I know Berry can't help himself from chasing players he originally could not land, but this would be another "save my job" move.

Only Andrew Berry would be stupid enough to trade for Cousins. The man is like a walking nightmare capable of enter every stupidity that’s in front of him without any sense of accountability.

Yet Cousins would easily be the best QB the Browns have had since Bernie Kosar.

Or Cousins could turn into an interception machine, promptly break his shoulder and tear an Achilles, and be awful here. This is the Cleveland Browns we're talking about.

So could any QB brought in. No one is guaranteed anything. Ask Courtney Brown.

This is true. But an aging QB that has recently had multiple "injury" related issues seems like a bad bet to me. Cheap and "free"? Sure, take a flier. Trade and pay? I'd rather go with a rookie.

I think our best bet is to go run heavy-er. No one is going to be worried about Kirk Cousins' legs at this point.

I don't really want Cousins around a rookie QB because he seems to feel really threatened by them, and it just seems an unfavorable dynamic for long term success.

I think when Stefanski was calling the plays, the Browns were one of the more run heavier teams in the NFL, so I think you might get your wish regardless of the QB path we go down.

That said, of all of realistic QB options we had going into this offeason, Cousins is/would have been my top choice. Rodgers would have been the best option, but we have no chance at him, IMO. Thus, "realistic". I think it was understated how injured Cousin's shoulder was last season and getting older never helps the recovery process or the ability to return to form all that much. That said, I still think Stefanski and Cousins together can produce an offense that can win games. It's just a matter of whether or not a trade of some sort is a viable option.

I'd be ok w/ Flacco, but I think Cousins is better than him and certainly Wentz. My view on this might be skewed because I pegged Cousins as someone I wanted in the offseason (for a few reasons) and thought he was going to be released. But, yes, price matters whether that is draft capital or dollars. And I wouldn't want Cousins and his contract as it currently stands. I would hope any agreement if it were to happen would include ATL taking on some of this money as well.

I don't know why any deal couldn't happen before the draft, if the Browns were serious about getting him. I have no idea if Cousins would waive a no trade clause or not because a QB is drafted. I know he is stated as saying he wants to start in 2025....that ain't happening in ATL and I'm not sure what other team would start him this late in FA outside of Cleveland. So if starting in Cleveland is an option, perhaps his only one at this point, why wouldn't he waive it even if we were to draft a QB at any point in the draft? Beggers can't be choosers at this point and that might be going in both directions.

I'm not saying we should get all excited about getting Cousins, but I do think he's probably our best option for this upcoming season. Obviously, we will need to re-establish our run game and the Oline needs to get its act together (which I think will be accomplished with a switch to the previous KS offense and get healthier/younger in the RB room).

Cousins has the added perk of already being familiar with KS and the type of system he likes to run.

The Atlanta Falcons would kindly disagree.

I don't know. They paid him his 10 million roster bonus.

You'll know soon enough. It's been made public he will be traded. Cousins has a no trade clause so the timing of the trade and where he goes is his call, not the Falcons. Cousins is waiting until after the draft to insure he goes to a team in need of a starter rather than a team who just drafted a rookie QB. That could change if a team promises not to draft a rookie QB between now and then. The Falcons don't want to let him go and get nothing in return. Just remember, the Browns paid 16 million dollars for a second round pick back in 2017 in effect when they signed Brock Osweiler. The Falcons just paid 10 million for what they feel they will get in return in trade for Cousins.

He's gotta know anywhere he goes is going to also be drafting a QB. He can't be so delusional that he thinks he's gonna be "the guy" for any franchise's foreseeable future.

Really? Do you think this draft class is so good at QB all of the QB needy teams can find a legitimate option at the position early in this draft? You may wish to reconsider that position.

Maybe I should have been more clear. It's more about teams drafting a QB early they and he see as actual competition for the QB position early on. What it appears he's looking for is to be the named starer right away with little competition for the position at least during year one.

I meant that he's working on joining his 4th team... third in the last 3 years. He's 36 coming off a should injury and a down year.

Teams that are looking for his services are looking for a QB for this season AND the future.

Do you believe it?

I don't disagree with you in principal. My point is he doesn't want to put himself in a position where a team that drafts Ward at #1 or even Sanders in the top 5 ends up being his destination. By him having a no trade clause it's within his power to control that situation.

I think the Browns are trying to force their hand with Atlanta

When the organization is at the rock bottom the most sensible way forward is about managing probabilities and risk management.

Forget about the Cousins you know from his time with the Vikings and focus solely on the quarterback you saw with the Falcons.
That’s where you start to analyze any potential trade.

Simple pros and cons.

How many miles is in Cousins body?
Injury history?
Upward or a downward trend?
How did he finish his last season?
The Falcons walk away from him. Why?

Look how similar prospects from the past two seasons have performed in new environment.
Russel Wilson, Aaron Rogers and Joe Flacco. Do you see a pattern? From my memory only Tommy Freaking Brady have over achieved expectations his first season with a new team.

The Browns are in a horrible situation with a roster full of holes.
No starting QB.
Our star players is has already reach their peak years.
Limited cap space.

There’s no real optimism or buzz that can attract the best FA or upcoming talents to join us, only big fat contracts.
That’s why gambling on the past history is bad.

We must build from the bottom. The best way to do this is to use our draft picks wisely and don’t go for Hollywood throws.
Cousins. Prescott. Rogers. Wilson (when he was available).
All of them is a no go in my books.

If we can’t get Ward take a QB who’s a dual threat in the second round. Pickett as a backup and Watson as a wild card.

Strengthen our O and D line. Go for physical and size.

Forget about 2025.

The Cleveland Browns should aim for 2027 and 2028. That’s the time when we can start to expects something good.
That’s my take on this.

Bruce having a “somebody please watch my show” moment. I like his dramatic delivery!

This will drive more eyes to the show than BigPlay has ever had.

I like hearing Bruce do the ads for a diaper party at Bunker Hill.

So.....I'll take that as a "No" to my question.