The Browns' quarterback situation could be getting more complicated. A new report links the team to a surprising trade for Colts QB Anthony Richardson, sparking immediate frustration from a fanbase already on edge.

In a Tuesday X post, Dov Kleiman reported that the franchise has a landing spot for Richardson and stated that he would thrive with the Browns.

“A potential landing spot for him is Cleveland, where Todd Monken, who spent the last few years coaching Lamar Jackson, could try to develop Richardson’s considerable athletic gifts.”

While Richardson is not a free agent, the team has granted him permission to be traded away. That's because they're looking at Daniel Jones as their long-term quarterback. But that's not all. His injuries forced him to miss 13 games, and that's played a part in the decision.

The move did come as a shocker, since GM Chris Ballard had mentioned, "I still believe in Anthony." Moreover, Richardson was the fourth overall pick for the Colts. But now, the team looks like it wants to try their luck in the draft once again, looking to trade for first round picks.

But this development has caused distress among fans already worried about the starting quarterback position.

Richardson’s Performance in the 2025 Season Did Not Help Much Either

One fan brought up Deshaun Watson’s guaranteed $230 million contract and how it backfired majorly.  Owner Jimmy Haslam even called it a move that wasn't in their favor. If the Browns bring Richardson on, that will only compound the error, especially since Richardson has a completion rate of just about 50%.

“Replacing a $230M mistake with a guy who completes 40% of his passes is the most Browns thing I’ve ever heard. Just fold the franchise and turn the stadium into a Spirit Halloween already,” the comment read.

But that's not all. Although GM Andrew Berry mentioned trading for a quarterback, Richardson was not who fans had in mind. The quarterback position already had problems in the last season, and with Richardson, who had just 9 yards in 2025, that could grow.

That's why this fan said, “Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Anthony Richardson… what could possibly go wrong,” the fan commented. And they're not wrong. All three players had a lot of hype around them. Deshaun got the big contract, Shedeur with his college numbers and Anthony being picked high up in the draft. Yet, they haven't proven themselves yet.

“Really? So Shedeur, Deshaun and now Anthony?? That’s a lot of unproven QBs in one room,” one reacted.

It was followed up by, “The Browns already have too many quarterbacks. There is absolutely no chance the Browns are trading for an injury prone Richardson who has a relatively high cap hit of over $10M in 2026. Do people just throw out these ideas without any thought whatsoever if it makes sense?”

With other positions in the offensive unit that need attention, the Browns need to weigh in on whether the 23-year-old is worth the trouble. 

Fans are clearly upset at the possibility and are still awaiting a more pressing conclusion over the starting QB position. Do you agree with the popular sentiment or differ? Comment on your opinion and follow the Cleveland Browns Community for more. 

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar