Analysis: Browns should sign Malik Willis and forget the open QB competition

INDIANAPOLIS — Another offseason, another round of quarterback questions for the Browns.That's the unfortunate reality when a franchise has wandered in the quarterback desert for more than three decades.General manager Andrew Berry and new coach Todd Monken took turns in front of reporters this week at the scouting combine and talked positively about Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel. Berry said he wasn't in a hurry to name a starter for 2026. Monken said he expected an open competition.Todd Monken says Shedeur Sanders has 'elite playmaking ability' but expects open competition at QBThe resumes of the candidates and the idea of another battle to see who takes the season's first snaps are enough to turn off plenty of fans, and turn the stomachs of others.Berry should close the competition before it opens. Sign free agent Malik Willis.Willis has made only six starts since being a third-round pick of the Titans in 2022, so he could be considered to come with as much uncertainty as the three internal candidates. His contract would end the questions of who sits atop the depth chart.Willis is expected to command a two-year contract that could reach $30 million a season. That makes him QB1, with an exclamation point.Zone Coverage PodcastYes, Watson will receive a guaranteed $46 million in 2026, but that's a sunk cost. The contract and disastrous trade that brought him to Cleveland in 2022 gave him the starting job from 2022-24. No longer.The Browns would've cut him loose long ago if not for the contract and salary cap ramifications. But the money only secures him a roster spot in 2026.Signing Willis and outbidding other suitors comes with risk. Six starts is a small sample size. He's thrown only 155 passes in the NFL, including 35 in 2025.The risk would be mitigated by the short contract. If he flops, the Browns could return him to a backup role and take his replacement in what's expected to be a strong quarterback draft in 2027.That would also be the fallback if Sanders were named the starter for 2026. The difference is Willis would give the Browns a better chance to win in 2026 and is more likely to become the franchise quarterback that has eluded them for too long.Defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg great fit for what Todd Monken wantedThis is more about Willis than Sanders, who has potential and could develop into a reliable starter given the right opportunity and supporting cast.Willis will turn 27 in May, so he's just heading into his prime. He's got a stronger arm than Sanders and is a much more gifted runner.Monken said Wednesday he will install the offense he ran with the Ravens. Willis isn't Lamar Jackson, but their skill sets are similar, so Monken wouldn't have to adjust much. Quarterback runs, run-pass options, throws to every part of the field — Willis can do it all.He demonstrated that in his limited opportunities with the Packers in 2025 when starter Jordan Love was hurt. In nearly two full games during the playoff chase in December, he went 27-for-32 (84 percent) for 409 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and added 19 rushes for 104 yards and two touchdowns.Willis has been in the league for four seasons. He's been with two teams. He was coached by Matt LaFleur. He's seasoned despite not playing a ton.The Browns studied him when he was coming out of Liberty but didn't need him after trading for Watson. They have a second chance to get it right and should jump on it.While Berry and Monken were complimentary of the quarterbacks they have, they seem to want an upgrade. As they should.Monken didn't like the suggestion the Browns were in a rebuild; he preferred "retool." He's 60 and wants to start winning immediately. He waited a long time for his first opportunity and knows it can quickly be taken away with too many losses.Even if the Browns want Willis, there's no guarantee they'll land him. The Dolphins' new regime came from Green Bay and knows him well. The Jets need a quarterback. The Steelers might. The Falcons and Vikings have been mentioned as potential suitors.The Browns will add to the quarterback group this offseason, even if they miss out on Willis. Anthony Richardson, a former No. 4 pick, and the Colts agreed he could seek a trade. San Francisco backup and former No. 15 pick Mac Jones could be an option through a trade. Then there's the draft.Until the Browns find someone who can compete with Jackson and Joe Burrow in the AFC North, they can't afford to stop looking.They should set their gaze on Willis.The post Analysis: Browns should sign Malik Willis and forget the open QB competition first appeared on BrownsZone with Scott Petrak.