Analysis: Plenty of work left, starting with putting together puzzle pieces at QB

Free agency can be measured in dog years. The negotiating period started March 10, yet it feels like a month has passed since the first free agents agreed to contracts and the NFL transaction wire began moving at 100 mph. The action never stops — the Bengals agreed to huge long-term deals with receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins late Sunday night — but a week in allows us to pause, regroup and examine where things stand with the Browns. Here are five thoughts, including the big question that remains. NOT SO FAST Quarterback thoughts flow through the mind like Guinness through Northeast Ohio on St. Patrick's Day. Let's keep it simple to start. Russell Wilson shouldn't be dismissed. Nor should the idea of being able to win 10 or 11 games, making the playoffs and going on a run. Myles Garrett explains change of heart, says he's always wanted to bring championship to Cleveland Wilson visited Berea on Thursday and left without a contract. He then visited the Giants and also remains a possibility to re-sign with the Steelers. He's the best veteran option for the Browns. If they're not committed to drafting a quarterback with the No. 2 pick, they should do what is necessary to sign the 36-year-old and make it work within the salary cap. Wilson isn't the same player who led the Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowls — winning one — in 2013 and '14. He can still throw it, lead a locker room and win games. "I definitely think he'd be a valuable asset as a leader, as a mentor to those young guys," said defensive end Myles Garrett, who helped recruit him. "Veteran leadership can't be overstated and I think he definitely has some juice left at the position. He has plenty of arm left, he's very smart and he knows what he's capable of." Wilson went 6-5 as the starter in Pittsburgh in 2024, including wins over Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, with a flawed roster. He got off to a great start — 271 passing yards per game, 10 touchdowns, three interceptions in his first six games — before he and the Steelers faded down the stretch. He isn't the long-term answer but has enough in the tank to give the Browns a chance in 2025. Jim Ingraham: Winning is an issue for the Browns — but money never is General manager Andrew Berry, coach Kevin Stefanski and Garrett have made it clear they're not interested in a rebuild. Signing Wilson would send the message to the locker room they're doing all they can to win now. SHRINKING MARKET If the Browns' plan was to sign Kirk Cousins for the veteran minimum, the Falcons have thrown a wrench into the works. Cousins was benched last year and the Falcons have made it clear they're going with Michael Penix Jr. as the starter in 2025. Yet they're holding onto Cousins rather than releasing him and paying him $27.5 million not to be on the team. They insist he could stay and be the backup but are more likely hoping a trade market materializes. Deshaun Watson's contract and the overall salary cap situation could make a trade a no-go for the Browns, who don't want to take on Cousins' salary. Beyond Wilson and Cousins, the free agent quarterback market gets thinner by the day. Aaron Rodgers doesn't seem to be in play for the Browns, and after those three, there's not a bona fide starter. Zone Coverage Podcast Joe Flacco is the best of the bunch and would be interested in coming back to Cleveland if offered. He, Kenny Pickett and Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders at No. 2 would make for a strong room. After Flacco, Carson Wentz, Drew Lock and Trey Lance appear to be the top options. That doesn't include Jameis Winston. The Browns appear to be done with him after eight interceptions in his final three starts last year. PUTTING TOGETHER THE PUZZLE With the starting quarterback still not on the roster — sorry, Kenny — the most pressing question of the offseason is left unanswered. It may remain that way until April 24 when the draft begins and the Browns select Ward or Sanders with the No. 2 pick. The Titans didn't add a starting veteran quarterback, so the presumption must be they'll take either Ward or Sanders at No. 1. If the Browns are comfortable with both, they can pencil in Ward or Sanders and go about the rest of their draft preparation and offseason roster building. What if the Browns don't love both enough to take at the top of the draft? What if they only rate Ward that highly and the Titans take him? The what-ifs shift the conversation back to Wilson and potentially Cousins. Locking in one of the proven veterans would provide invaluable flexibility in the draft. It wouldn't preclude the Browns from drafting Ward or Sanders, but it would relieve the pressure. Berry could then have fun with all the possibilities. Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter at No. 2, Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo, Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins and Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord in the second and third rounds. Abdul Carter at No. 2, LSU tight end Mason Taylor, Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson and Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the second and third rounds. A final thought on quarterbacks: Getting Pickett from the Eagles for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round pick was a good deal. Thompson-Robinson failed miserably in his two years in Cleveland, needed a fresh start and Pickett is an upgrade. MONEY MATTERS I'm not naïve enough to say the four-year, $160 million contract extension didn't play a role in Garrett withdrawing his trade request. It made him the highest-paid non-quarterback until Chase just passed him. But while it's a convenient narrative, it's incorrect to say his about-face was all about the money. He could've gotten the same deal — or one very similar — from the Browns before his trade request. And if they had agreed to trade him, he would've gotten the same or a similar deal from his new team. Garrett explained his change of heart by saying his frustration has lessened since the disappointing season and he can better visualize Berry's blueprint for success in the near future. It strikes me more as embracing reality. The Browns made it clear they weren't going to trade Garrett, and he finally believed them after owner Jimmy Haslam declined to meet with him. Garrett could've continued to try to force his way out and to a Super Bowl contender but was under contract for two more seasons and didn't have the leverage. I don't think he had the stomach to sit out games. So he assessed the landscape, adopted a more optimistic view of the team's future and signed on the dotted line. TRUST FACTOR Garrett repeatedly said he's trusting Berry to fix the roster. That's a scary thought for many fans but their only hope for immediate success. Figuring out the quarterback room comes first. There's plenty of work beyond that and it continues as free agency reaches its next stages. I expect Berry to wait until the draft to address many needs, including running back, tight end and another defensive tackle, but the roster has too many holes to rely solely on the draft. He should use free agency to sign a receiver or two, a safety and another tackle. The post Analysis: Plenty of work left, starting with putting together puzzle pieces at QB first appeared on BrownsZone with Scott Petrak.