File this under “Things that Won’t Happen,” but is at least interesting to discuss: What quarterbacks in the NFL are worth the kind of huge trade package the Cleveland Browns sent away for Deshaun Watson? Every Browns fan should hope against hope that Shedeur Sanders lights the world on fire, just figuratively/in NFL terms, the last three weeks of the season.
That doesn’t seem likely from Sanders’ play so far, which means Cleveland could be looking down the barrel of praying that they are in position
to draft a quarterback they have a very high grade on in the 2026 NFL draft, or build a team around the QB position this year and hope to find an answer in the future.
What led to this question about a Watson-level trade? On Saturday, we learned that the Miami Dolphins offered the Cincinnati Bengals four first-round picks in 2020 in an attempt to move up to draft Joe Burrow. Much like the teams with the quarterbacks in the list below, the Bengals “declined to even engage in discussions” regarding a Burrow trade.
That doesn’t stop us from pondering.
If the Browns were to make another huge offer for a quarterback, let’s just say the same four first-round picks that the Dolphins were willing to give up, how many quarterbacks in the league would be worth that deal? For some of you, the answer is none, not even the best in the NFL.
For the sake of argument, in no certain order, the following are arguably “worth” that sort of deal. We want to hear your arguments below in our comment section, and will add a few notes in the list as well:
- Jordan Love – Inconsistent but young with upside and a lot of team success
- Dak Prescott – Already 32 years old, hasn’t been able to carry the Cowboys to huge success, but has put up big numbers
- Drake Maye – The likely league MVP, but very little body of proof
- Patrick Mahomes – Already 30, has played a ton of extra games and taken a lot of hits. Also, in the GOAT conversation
- Josh Allen – Elite, but has struggled in the playoffs
- Lamar Jackson – Elite, but has struggled in the playoffs and has a lot of different injury concerns
- Justin Herbert – Despite some big numbers, no playoff wins, including 4 INTs in last year’s postseason
- Jalen Hurts – All he does is win, including 2 Super Bowl appearances with one title. Is he carried by the team around him, or does he elevate everyone?
- Caleb Williams – A ton of upside and playing better in Year 2, but not a ton of history to bet on
- Trevor Lawrence – There was some talk of the Jaguars moving on from Lawrence soon if he didn’t perform better. The new offensive system has unlocked his talent in 2025
- Joe Burrow – Oft-injured, has been great with 2 great receivers and a bunch of other weapons. Carried the Bengals to the Super Bowl and is considered among the game’s best
- Jayden Daniels – Injuries in Year 2 have dampened the feeling around Daniels, but his elite rookie season showed just how great he can be if healthy
Does anyone else belong on this list? How many of the above quarterbacks are actually worth 3 or 4 first-round picks (for the Browns or another team)?
Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below
