The Cleveland Browns are one of a few teams headed into the 2025 season with very little options at starting quarterback. That's partially because of their cap situation, but partially because the impending free agent class of quarterbacks is just barely brimming with starting talent. They're likely to find a solid backup, but not a starter, on the market.
That means that, amongst the very few options available to Cleveland, they have to entertain most of them - if not all of them. And, Aaron Rodgers has suddenly become a new option on the market for the Browns. Rodgers was told recently by the New York Jets that he'd no longer be with the team in 2025 and under new head coach Aaron Glenn, and the reasoning behind it has come to light.
That reasoning also shows exactly why Cleveland must avoid looking his way this offseason.
Jets' reasoning for letting Rodgers go should spook Browns
According to a new report from The Athletic's Dianna Russini, Rodgers was told by the front office and Glenn that, if he wanted to return in 2025 to compete for the starting job there, he had to stop making his regular appearances on The Pat McAfee Show and stop treating certain practices as optional.
Rodgers, clearly, didn't agree with all the boundaries laid out by the Jets. So, the sides have decided to eventually part ways. But, that doesn't mean Rodgers is hanging it up for good, despite being 41 years old and clearly slowed down in the pocket.
While the Browns obviously need a starting quarterback - something they're not going to find in this year's draft - Rodgers would be a terrible fit in Cleveland. The goal should be to go for a quarterback without even a whiff of controversy around him considering how horribly its gone for the franchise since trading for Deshaun Watson and playing Jameis Winston.
Rodgers would bring a ton of baggage and demands with him, most likely, and that's going to rub even the most loyal of players the wrong way. The Browns' locker room, led by head coach Kevin Stefanski, tends to keep things in house and avoids assigning blame for losses - even when there are obvious reasons for those losses.
Additionally, Rodgers would just add to the turnover issues that plagued Browns quarterbacks in 2024. His 28 touchdowns were solid, but 11 interceptions on top of those really take away from his impact on offense.
With Rodgers in the fold, you could expect the complete opposite of that in postgame interviews if things don't go well for him on the field. That's not something Cleveland can survive for another season. They have to look elsewhere for younger, steadier quarterback talent. While Rodgers would bring eyes to the team, not all attention is positive.