The Opening Drive 2/11: Browns Could and Should Be Interested in Malik Willis
The financial misconceptions and why the interest makes plenty of sense.
The NFL month of February is typically filled with conjecture and gossip as it leads up to the free agency period in March. On Tuesday evening we got some buzz on a quarterback name many in Browns circles have been watching closely. Given how often new head coach Todd Monken has discussed the importance of athleticism at the position, Malik Willis is one of the more interesting targets on the market. The Browns would naturally be interested in the Liberty-product given his success across his six recent NFL starts and the uncertainty the Browns still have at the position.
CBS’s Jason La Canfora gave us our first insights on teams rumored to be in on Willis and the Browns showed up.
It’s tough to tell how accurate these reports are given the nature of what communication is allowed between teams and agents, but buzz can grow on these topics quickly. The Browns connection to Willis brings about trepidation given his smaller sample size and projected salary, but there’s already plenty of misinformation happening about both the player’s demands and the Browns ability to pursue him. So, we dig in on that subject today.
Below you’ll find the latest in the BFB catalog for supporters to dig into. Click the link to become a supporter if you haven’t already, and enjoy all the latest from Browns Film Breakdown.
Latest Podcasts:
Byron Storer Named Special Teams Coordinator, More Staff Updates, and Cleveland Browns Daily
David Njoku's Farewell and Defensive Coordinator Candidates Emerge
Super Bowl LX Thoughts, DC Interviews Begin, and The NFL Schedule Now Gets Busy
Latest Articles:
Opening Drive 2/10: Browns Expand DC Search — External Candidates
Opening Drive 2/9: NFL’s Copycat Nature Shows Up in the Super Bowl
Latest Film Rooms:
Cleveland Browns 2026 Staff Tracker
As the Browns work through their new staff in both the previous week, and coming weeks, we will do our best at Browns Film Breakdown to keep these updates in one precise location for you to constantly keep tabs on what the organization is doing.
The biggest question being asked at this time is around the financial impact — what exactly the Browns can do this offseason with their current cap structure versus what the public believes will happen. On the surface, most will run to Spotrac or OverTheCap, or see some “current cap space” tweet and presume the Browns have zero options this offseason for roster improvement. That is false, and it blatantly ignores how the Browns structure their cap.
With some simple movement around the current roster — which includes using Post-June 1 designations on David Njoku’s contract, possibly Wyatt Teller’s contract, and the cuts they have to make on other dead weight (looking at you, Jack Conklin) — when you factor in more restructures for Deshaun Watson and Denzel Ward, along with insurance money for players missing significant time (Watson, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah), you have a pathway to around $70 million in cap space to play with.
I am more than sure they will not be using every penny of that money, as they like to work with rollover cap space and need to be selective. But if they find the right quarterback priced in the correct range, as Willis is noted above, the cap will not stop them from pursuing that player. Sure, Willis’s range here could be off and he could get a significantly higher figure than noted by La Canfora, but in the most realistic case, the Browns can pursue him in the range noted above.
The best thing we can do is stop panicking about the salary cap, because their ability to mold it is in the correct place. Right now, they have to add talent at every turn and then deal with those bigger contracts later when veterans currently on the books fall off the cap sheet. Let the NFL keep moving the cap number north, and the Browns will keep giving themselves flexibility to make moves to impact the current roster.
Plenty will be made about Willis sharing an agent with Deshaun Watson but that won’t impact a decision if it’s the best for Willis. While I will dig into the tape and see if he is actually worth some of the projections, those writing off this idea are wish casting at best. If the Browns truly want Willis, they will go after him and have a real chance to sign him.
Browns Film Breakdown will return soon with some fresh content.
You've been on this train for a while. Gotta give you props. Having a reliable QB like Willis with his upside raises the floor significantly for what's possible with this roster.
I sure hope we don’t just end up with Justin Fields.