The Cleveland Browns’ overcrowded QB room finally has a little space to breathe. The franchise has four healthy QBs on its roster as they begin preparing for the 2025 season. Their expensive 2022 QB, Deshaun Watson, signed to a $230 million deal, is most likely to miss the season following his Achilles repair surgery. Otherwise, it would’ve been five quarterbacks fighting for the starting spot. But even with Watson out, it’s still a crowded battle. Kevin Stefanski’s got a decision on his hands: two vets in Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. And two rookie QBs, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, both hoping to turn preseason reps into something bigger.
And it turns out that the curiosity about who will be the team’s QB1 has got people talking. Like, a lot. One voice in particular, Albert Breer, shed some light on where things might be headed during his stop on The Rich Eisen Show. “I would say over the next five weeks they’ve got to get a good read on what’s going to happen in training camp,” Breer said.
Shedeur Sanders, who’s probably looking to get a shot at the starting QB role after his draft slide, might want to buckle up. Because the way the Browns are evaluating their QB room, he better stand out. Albert Breer suggests that Cleveland needs to figure out the difference in performance between their veterans and rookies before making any decisions. If either Shedeur or Dillon Gabriel looks like the better backup option, the Browns’ front office might want to cut one of the vets to make some room to breathe.
“I think you have to start to ask all those questions now rather than at the end of July.” The SI reporter reminds the team that they can’t afford to wait until training camp is in full swing to make a decision. “I just don’t think there’s enough reps to go around when you get in the summer based on the rules the way they are now and the fact that there’s going to be 10 other guys in that huddle that you have to get ready to play a season,” he added.
And that brings us to the next layer of this crowded QB situation. What happens once the Browns do figure out their pecking order?
Making room: Browns’ QB dilemma
Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel’s competition to be the starting QB kicked off on the very first day of rookie minicamp. “Both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders looked really good in three days of practice. They both made some really good throws,” Browns announcer Andrew Siciliano said. But the truth is, only one of them can be the starting QB.
Another truth is that the team might have to let go of one quarterback. Because franchises rarely go into the regular season with four QBs on their 53-man roster. For now, the Browns’ front office has denied any plans to trade any of their quarterbacks. But NFL insider for Cleveland.com, Mary Kay Cabot, thinks that might not be true for long. Cabot recently covered the Browns’ rookie minicamp and their QB competition situation.
via IMAGO
According to Mary, “The Browns have no plans to trade any of their quarterbacks at this point. They’re intent on conducting this four-way quarterback competition and having the QBs bring out the best in each other.” The Browns will be holding two passing practice sessions during their team activities and minicamp. “By roster cutdown day on Aug. 27, they will be prepared to part with at least one of the quarterbacks. Which one will be determined by the competition, and how their depth chart order shakes out,” Cabot reported.
So, once Stefanski and the coaching staff figure out their starting QB, backup, and emergency QB, they might trade the one left out. The Browns’ front office will most likely choose to trade the fourth QB. Because if they cut him, other teams could pick him up for free. So, who’s going to be the odd one out in the Cleveland QB room? Well, we’ll most likely get an answer to that by August.
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