Cleveland Browns Add Former First-Round QB Josh Rosen; Team Braces For Deshaun Watson's Suspension

After trading Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers, the Cleveland Browns were pressed to find a complementary reserve in the QB room to accompany Jacoby Brissett.

According to NFL Network's James Palmer, the Browns have acquired their desired backup after signing former Arizona Cardinals QB Josh Rosen, announced on Thursday. The reported agreement is a one-year deal.

With the Browns also waiting on a final verdict regarding possible suspension for starting QB Deshaun Watson, Rosen's signing proved essential for a team running out of options. Reports this week have forecasted that Watson could be slated for a two-game suspension. Additional speculation has considered the count to go as high as eight games.

The Browns also tried out former Crimson Tide QB AJ McCarron alongside Rosen this week.

BROWNS WORKING OUT TWO QBS WITH DESHAUN WATSON’S STATUS UP IN THE AIR: REPORT

After Cleveland dropped out of rumors to trade for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, all eyes went to the free-agent market.

Rosen was notably part of the much-anticipated 2018 NFL QB rookie class, including Mayfield, USC standout Sam Darnold and Wyoming's Josh Allen.

Rosen was the last of the group to be selected in 2018 at No. 10 by Arizona.

Coming into the draft, the UCLA product was touted as a potential Aaron Rodgers-type passer, whose accuracy and intellect as a QB made the NFL media optimistic about his potential.

Rosen's trajectory in the League was off the mark.

Playing for Steve Wilks' seemingly doomed head-coaching year in 2018, Rosen went 3-10 as a starter under center — a bad start for the exceptional college player.

Though the team's issues were deep-seated, Rosen showed a sharp regression in accuracy and was turnover-prone.

Rosen finished with 2,278 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and a completion percentage of 55.2 in his rookie season,

And after one season with Arizona, Rosen bounced from Miami to San Francisco and Atlanta — all one-year campaigns.

Stay tuned with OutKick as the story develops.