Things are beginning to heat up around the NFL and the Cleveland Browns are part of it with a trade they made on Monday to add OT Tytus Howard from the Houston Texans. 

Remaking the offensive line is a key task for the Browns this offseason with all five players set to be free agents. Cleveland fixing the offensive line is just part of the puzzle. Success in 2026 will be impacted by whether or not the Browns can finally get something from the quarterback position. 

Kyler Murray may not be of interest for the Browns, but he’ll impact them either way 

The Arizona Cardinals are set to release QB Kyler Murray on the first day of the league year next week. Murray will be due $36.8 million guaranteed in 2026, which will open the door for a team to sign him near the league minimum with the money set to offset as it did with Russell Wilson joining the Pittsburgh Steelers a couple of years ago after being cut by the Denver Broncos.

Because the Cardinals already owe Kyler Murray $36.5M guaranteed for 2026, whichever team signs him is going to have the chance to do so at a massive bargain.

Pittsburgh did this with Russell Wilson after his release from Denver.

Plenty of teams are in need of a QB.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 3, 2026

Quick to the point here, I don’t expect the Browns to sign Murray. The former No. 1 overall pick has spent the majority of his career so far playing in a dome. According to Warren Sharp, Murray has played just one game in the last four seasons with a temperature below 45 degrees. Cleveland is playing outdoors until 2029 and the temperature from mid-October on typically has the risk of being below 45 degrees.  

Kyler Murray might get cut

teams don't want to trade for him, for good reasons:

NFL's worst QB throwing downfield

healthy just 1 of the last 5 yrs

played outdoors just 29% of his games
– 1 game the last 4 yrs below 45°
– 1 game the last 4 yrs in rainhttps://t.co/EAOAfhAirb

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 2, 2026

Murray may not sign with the Browns, but he’ll sign with another quarterback-needy team. Every offseason the puzzle of available quarterbacks is put together. If the Browns have a target on their mind, there’s a chance a team contending for said player may sign Murray instead. Another quarterback hitting the market is positive for the Browns. 

With a team potentially signing Murray for as little as $1.3 million, he’s going to be an option for several teams. Some teams that come to mind are the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings—two teams that play indoors. 

Murray has played one full season since 2020 and it came in 2024 when he had 3,851 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 572 rushing yards, and five rushing touchdowns in 17 games. The Oklahoma product had strong seasons in 2020 and 2021 when he was named a Pro Bowler, but has been unable to regain form since. 

Browns current quarterback room will have a shot 

The Browns have Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson internally expected to battle for the job. Sanders showed some promise in seven games last season, but his negatives make it so the Browns can’t just hand him the job. Watson is trying to return to action in 2026 after missing all of 2025 with a pair of Achilles injuries. 

There will be several veteran quarterback options for the Browns to bring in. Murray doesn’t necessarily seem like a good fit with his history of playing indoors, health, and size behind what will be a brand new offensive line. Murray being on the market is still good news for the Browns and their chase for a veteran option. 

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