The Cleveland Browns are looking to overhaul the offensive side of the football this offseason, and that potentially includes the quarterback position. With NFL free agency beginning today, Monday, March 9th, with the legal tampering period, Browns insider and Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot has seemingly indicated the team’s mindset toward attacking the quarterback position as well.
Two of the biggest names on the quarterback market are former first overall pick Kyler Murray, who will officially be released at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, and Malik Willis. The former third round pick has gathered legitimate buzz after two years of strong play in spot-starting situations with the Green Bay Packers, filling in for the injured Jordan Love.
Willis’ market is expected to near a mark of potentially $30 million per year as teams are looking to bring him in as a starter. Cabot has seemingly indicated the Browns are one of the teams that will be in on Willis’ market, but not so much on Murray’s.
Here is what Cabot had to say on Willis and the potential of him landing in Cleveland:
“The Browns like him and will keep an eye on his market on Monday, but it’s expected to climb possibly as high as $30 million. Berry would’ve drafted him coming out of Liberty in 2022 had the Browns not traded for Watson, sources tell cleveland.com, but the price might be too steep for a player with only six career starts… Once Berry has his sights set on a player, he doesn’t give up easily. If Berry has one, big, bold move in him this cycle, it might be to swing for the fences on Willis.”
Could Willis to Cleveland actually work?
How the Browns can make a Malik Willis signing work
The salary cap is just a number for the Browns. It’s how they’ve operated the past four years since they acquired Watson. Owner Jimmy Haslam has not been afraid to spend actual cash to take the pressure off the salary cap. This has happened again this year, restructuring the contracts of both Watson and cornerback Denzel Ward, converting base salary into bonus money.
This is how the Browns have structured the first year of every contract of every bigger-name free agent they have signed and every player they have extended. The Browns opt to stick the base salary at the veteran minimum, then prorate the bonus money out to minimize the year-one cap hit. If the Browns opt to sign Willis and get in on his market, this will be the same.
If the Browns sign Willis, his year-one cap hit will likely only hang around $6 million with the bonuses prorated throughout the length of the contract, with void years likely on the back-end of the deal as well.
Money will not be the prohibiting factor with Willis coming to Cleveland. Willis being represented by the same agent of Watson, however, could be.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns insider reveals team’s plan of attack at QB in NFL free agency
Reporting by Cory Kinnan, Browns Wire / Browns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
