For all the criticism the New York Giants quarterback plan received this offseason, at least it wasn't the Cleveland Browns' plan.
The Browns’ quarterback situation has become a cautionary tale. Deshaun Watson, once their $230 million man, is now sidelined indefinitely with a re-ruptured Achilles tendon, leaving his future with the team in serious doubt. In response, Cleveland traded with the Philadelphia Eagles for Kenny Pickett, a former first-round pick who struggled to find his footing in Pittsburgh and linked back up with 40-year-old Joe Flacco to a one-year deal worth up to $13 million.
This trio—Watson, Pickett, and Flacco—hardly inspires confidence. And if it does... it might say more about you than anything else.
Meanwhile, the Giants took a different approach. General Manager Joe Schoen signed Jameis Winston to a two-year, $8 million contract and brought in Russell Wilson on a one-year deal worth up to $21 million ($10.5 million guaranteed). While neither is a long-term solution, both are starting-caliber quarterbacks who can keep the team relatively competitive. This strategy provides the Giants with flexibility heading into the draft, allowing them to select the best player available without reaching for a quarterback out of desperation.
Browns' QB room makes Giants' QB room look... competent
The contrast between the two franchises is rather stark. Cleveland’s quarterback room is a nightmare, with a rehabbing Watson, an unproven Pickett, and an aging Flacco. In contrast, the Giants have assembled a more stable and competent quarterback group, giving them a better chance to navigate the upcoming season successfully.
While the Giants still need to identify their quarterback of the future, their current situation is far from the chaos unfolding in Cleveland. By securing experienced veterans, New York has bought itself time and flexibility, avoiding the pitfalls of desperation that have ensnared the Browns.
The Giants are playing with house money. If the board breaks the way most expect, they’ll walk into a scenario where they can draft a generational talent like Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter and still have the option to stash a developmental quarterback on Day 2 or 3. That’s a win-win.
Guys like Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe might not be ready to start Week 1, but that’s the luxury of having Wilson and Winston already in the building. You don’t need your rookie to be a savior. You just need them to sit, learn, and maybe become something. Even Tyler Shough, who the Giants hosted on a Top 30 visit, has quietly been building steam as a late riser. He’s older, but he’s experienced, athletic, and the kind of live-arm project that makes sense if you don’t want to burn a premium pick on a QB.
The Browns? They don’t have that kind of freedom. They’re stuck duct-taping their quarterback room together with aging vets and desperate trades while hoping nobody notices the house is on fire.
It’s not perfect in East Rutherford—but at least it’s not Cleveland. Good for Flacco going one more rodeo, but this signing says a whole lot more about the Browns’ situation than it does about him.