Rumored Browns QB Target Heads to Dolphins in Free Agency

NFL free agency is unofficially underway Monday, as players can agree to deals today. Those deals, however, cannot be signed until Wednesday.

Cleveland Browns fans are eagerly awaiting any free agent news, specifically at the quarterback position.

The team currently has Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson set to battle it out in camp, and are not in a position to take the top quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. Thus, free agency is the best option to add a new signal-caller.

Malik Willis was a name attached to the Browns ever since the offseason began. All that talk became obsolete as soon as free agency began.

Sources: The #Dolphins are signing #Packers QB Malik Willis, as a new QB has landed in Miami.

He gets a 3-year, $67.5M deal with $45M fully guaranteed in a contract negotiated by @DavidMulugheta of @AthletesFirst. pic.twitter.com/bhIpxV3UrK
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2026

Per Ian Rapoport, Willis is headed to the Miami Dolphins on a three-year deal. This news came around the same time the Dolphins posted several farewell messages to Tua Tagovailoa, as that franchise seeks a reset at the most important position in football.

Browns back to the drawing board at QB

On paper, this move makes a ton of sense. The Dolphins just hired former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as head coach, who had a front-row seat to Willis in practice for two years. The connection is clear and Willis knows he is going to a spot where he is valued.

The Hafley connection cannot be forgotten when discussing this move, as some Browns fans may chalk this up to the team being a woeful free-agent destination.

However, this does limit the potential options for the Browns if they do indeed want to add a veteran quarterback in free agency. Gardner Minshew stands out as a top target now that Willis is off the board. Other options include trading for Anthony Richardson or Mac Jones, which would require draft compensation.

Browns fans and analysts have spent months imagining all the possibilities at quarterback. In reality, Sanders and Watson may simply be destined to compete for the job this summer.

Such a competition makes sense, even if fans are not thrilled. First, Watson is being paid $46 million this year and the team has not been shy about playing him when healthy. Why add a bridge quarterback when an expensive one is already on the roster?

Then there is Sanders, who showed flashes of success late in 2025. He is cheap and seems to be building some rapport with new Browns head coach Todd Monken, so it's clear he is in the plans to some degree.

Willis going to Miami is a bummer for Browns fans who wanted him in Cleveland. The unknown is if Andrew Berry is bummed as well, or if he never planned on making a serious offer to Willis in the first place.