The Cleveland Browns needing a quarterback isn't some profound discovery, as we've seen 39 different starting quarterbacks since 1999 and more than likely number 40 will trot out Week 1 for the Orange and Brown.
We as fans and media have seen this, but the players have lived it in real time. Take the longest-tenured Brown, Joel Bitonio, for example. He is contemplating coming back for his 12th season and has seen 21 different signal callers.
While it'll be a wild adjustment to make once again, there are plenty of reasons why Cleveland should seek a starting rookie quarterback at No. 2 overall in the upcoming NFL draft. Here are five specific reasons why they should.
1. There is no starter in free agency that's worth the money
Unfortunately, there is no Tom Brady or Peyton Manning in this free-agent class. Of those on the list of unrestricted free agents, only two had a winning record as a starter and made the playoffs. Those signal callers are Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson, and both of these journeymen ended their seasons on losing streaks and lost their lone playoff games.
Many have suggested the Browns will pursue Kirk Cousins because he previously played under Stefanski in Minnesota. But, there has to be some hesitancy with the 37 year old signal caller.
Read more: Cam Ward named "ideal" pick for Browns in latest PFF mock draft
He ended his most recent season throwing one touchdown to nine interceptions over the last five weeks before getting benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr. He's also only made the postseason four of his 13 years in the league, winning one playoff game in 2020. So, he is not a QB that can start a full season and deliver postseason success.
Yes, a free-agent quarterback might give the offense a higher floor as a starter, but what good is it when the QB is good enough to avoid a top draft pick but not good enough to reach the postseason? The only thing worse than a losing season is having a losing season with no long-term answer under center.
2. Drafting a QB is easier on the cap
To make matters worse, Cleveland's cap space is $22.8 million in the red, before cap rollover, with other positions that need to be addressed. They don't have the flexibility to hand out expensive long-term contracts to make a free agent a franchise quarterback.
The reality of the Browns cap spending this year is much bleaker than years past. According to Over The Cap, the Browns have over 50 million in "dead cap".
Dead cap is defined by how much a team is paying out to players who are no longer on the team, which directly affects how much the team can spend in a current year. This $50 million doesn't include the dead money the Browns would incur if they were to cut Deshaun Watson or trade Myles Garrett.
The great news for Cleveland is they have the number two pick in the draft with two top quarterbacks on the board, so one if not both are guaranteed to be available when it's the Browns turn to pick. History shows it's best to draft a quarterback as well compared to free agency. In the past two playoffs, 15 of the 20 different quarterbacks were former first-round picks.
3. The data shows a higher hit rate for QBs in the first round
All fans can agree this team needs to draft a quarterback, but they are vastly divided on who. Some want one of the top prospects like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, while some want to wait until later in the draft for a Jaxson Dart or Will Howard.
Data suggests the success rate is greater if you draft the quarterback in the first round. Per draft expert Mel Kiper Jr., 69% of the signal callers selected within the first five picks of the draft ended up being a playoff caliber QB in the past 55 years.
Now, who we believe is the guy pales in comparison to how the organization feels, as they are the ones doing the selection. If there is a guy in a draft who you truly believe can turn this franchise around, you make the selection and ensure another team doesn't pick him before you do.
Some are worried about the value of picking a quarterback at two, stating this is a weak class. The reality is that because it is the most important position on the field, year after year, teams will reach for a quarterback.
Look at last year: Denver was mocked for "reaching" on Bo Nix, people questioned a rebuilding Washington team for choosing a quarterback instead of the best player available, and New England is sure glad they got Drake Maye instead of trading down and acquiring more picks.
4. We can finally have a full evaluation of this regime
The most maddening thing about this Browns regime is how evenly .500 it has been since Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry were hired. Cleveland has a 40-44 record since 2020 with two playoff appearances and one win, but they also had consecutive losing seasons in 2021-2022 and a 3-14 record this year.
Stefanski has won coach of the year twice, but his team has also led the league in turnovers and presnap penalties.
Despite all the ups and downs, the Browns have yet to draft and develop a rookie with the full intention of him being the franchise guy. When Stefanski and Berry came here in 2020, they inherited Baker Mayfield from a previous regime, so he wasn't necessarily their guy from the beginning.
Yes, the Browns swung hard on Deshaun Watson, but ultimately he wasn't a fit for Stefanski's scheme and proved he was no longer good at playing out of structure.
Picking a QB at number two overall finally gives the Browns a golden ticket to pick their guy. They can determine who's the best fit, who can give this offense a consistent level of play, and who can be the leader Mayfield and Watson weren't.
If this regime is who we are led to believe, then Andrew Berry can correctly evaluate this QB talent and Stefanski can be the quarterback whisperer he's paid to be. He's won games with Case Keenum, Jacoby Brissett, PJ Walker, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He should be able to make a more talented rookie a winner, as well.
5. Everyone in the building, especially players, knows they need a QB
The biggest storyline this offseason for Cleveland is one of the best players in the franchise, Myles Garrett, requested a trade. He stated his reasoning being he doesn't think the Browns can be a contender. Months earlier, Garrett did say they are "closer than people think" and "only a few pieces away". No doubt in anyone's mind, he's talking about quarterback.
The veterans on the roster are starving to win consistently, and they all know it starts with stability at QB. Even Garrett himself stated he needed to talk to the front office about a long-term solution at quarterback. If the Browns can correctly draft a quarterback and find a franchise guy, you can bet Garrett will rescind that request.
Overall, drafting a QB at two is cost-efficient, mathematically proven to work, and will finally give us an answer if this regime can develop their own guy at quarterback. With the draft a little less than 2 months away, the Browns still have a lot of homework to do.
The combine may be wrapping up, but they still have pro-days to attend and free agency to address. Let's hope they can finally find their guy at quarterback.