Deshaun Watson 2.0? Why a Kyler Murray trade would bankrupt the Browns future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Kyler Murray trade rumors are officially swirling, but for the Cleveland Browns, this move would be nothing short of a franchise-killing disaster. Despite speculative chatter connecting the Arizona Cardinals quarterback to Northeast Ohio, the logic falls apart the moment you look at a salary cap.
During a recent segment on 92.3 The Fan, host Ken Carman threw cold water on the idea of Cleveland chasing another expensive, veteran reclamation project. "If I can get you 7 wins I don't think Kyler Murray means anything more," Carman argued. "I don't want to invest more in a position where I don't believe in it. It's easier to invest in a first-round pick compared to somebody else's former mess."
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Carman nailed it. The Browns are already drowning in the Deshaun Watson contract. With Watson’s deal likely getting restructured again so the team can survive 2026, GM Andrew Berry is staring down a terrifying "dead cap" iceberg in 2027 and 2028. Adding Murray’s massive contract to that pile is financial malpractice.
Also, the 2019 first overall pick has missed significant time due to injury in three of the past four seasons. His diminutive size and decreasing mobility is making Murray look closer to an over-priced version of Dillon Gabriel.
Trading for this Cardinals QB doesn't solve the Browns' problems; it just anchors them to a second quarterback who has struggled with consistency and health. Why would Berry trade assets for a "former mess" when he could use a rookie contract (like Shedeur Sanders) to prepare for the post-Watson era?
Bringing Murray to Cleveland isn't a bold upgrade—it's a repeat of the same desperate mistake that put the Browns in this salary cap pit to begin with. Cleveland needs to roll with the signal-callers they have in 2026, and not take another gamble.
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