Feb. 12, 2026, 8:54 p.m. ET
NFL free agency kicks off next month, and one NFL analyst believes the Cleveland Browns are a team to watch to target the top quarterback free agency on the market in former Packers backup Malik Willis. Jason La Canfora believes there are two top destinations after talking to league sources, one of which is the Browns.
“One general manager, whose team will be in the quarterback market at least to some degree, pointed to Cleveland and Miami as the teams to beat, and another general manager, less inclined to be seeking a new QB, identified that contact Justin Fields signed with the Jets a year ago as a likely template for what Willis can likely land on the open market.”
It would make a ton of sense for the Browns to pair Willis with head coach Todd Monken after he elevated Lamar Jackson’s game to a whole other level as the offensive coordinator in Baltimore. Jackson was already a great player, but his evolution and growth as a passer took off once Monken came to town.
Willis is one of the more athletic quarterbacks in the league and has a cannon for an arm; he checks every box Monken mentioned for a starting quarterback. When he came out of Liberty University, he was raw and underdeveloped, but he’s shown growth in limited playing time with the Packers.
Pairing him with Monken would be a great plan for Cleveland, considering just how bad this year’s quarterback class is. The Browns should heavily pursue Willis, who will turn 27 in May, and see if Monken can work his magic on another athletic quarterback and find the franchise QB they’ve been desperate to find.
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