While the national media and fans have scrutinized the Cleveland Browns this offseason, Sam Monson, host of The 33rd Team’s Check The Mic podcast, has a different outlook.
The Browns’ eventful offseason has generated a number of headlines, starting with Myles Garrett’s failed trade request and culminating in the drafting of quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. Throughout every step of the process, the franchise has faced criticism regardless of the decision. However, Sam Monson argues that this criticism is unwarranted:
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“Instead of having to trade one of the NFL’s best players, they now extended him and locked him into a new contract,” says Monson. “You’ve gone from your best player being out the door to him being happy again.”
Monson also expressed how impressed he was with the Browns’ future plans at quarterback and how the position was addressed this offseason:
“You can argue how they got there, but they ended up with the quarterback I would’ve taken with their second overall pick,” said Monson, who also credited the Browns’ decision-making and prioritization of the quarterback position for the future: “I still think the smart move is to pick up the extra first-round pick next year. You need a quarterback, not the guy who plays corner or wide receiver.”
The Cleveland Browns made several smart roster-building moves while setting a clear goal: finding the quarterback of the future. The team is expected to rotate through its plethora of quarterbacks before the end of the 2025 season to determine who might stick, especially the two new rookies. Whether it’s Gabriel, Sanders, or another high-profile prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, Cleveland’s offseason laid a solid foundation for the future and its search for a franchise quarterback.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns receive rare praise for 2025 offseason moves