The Browns say there’s no hot seat. That this isn’t a make-or-break year for Andrew Berry or Kevin Stefanski. And maybe that’s true for now. But it’s hard to ignore how unsettled things feel in Cleveland. The quarterback competition has already started tilting toward the veterans, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Shedeur Sanders? He’s trying to hang on to a roster spot. And the rookie class that was supposed to give this regime some breathing room is already under fire.
The arrest of second-round pick Quinshon Judkins over the weekend didn’t just create a legal situation; it added to a pattern. Everyone from the locker room to the boardroom is under the microscope. Judkins hasn’t even signed his rookie contract, yet his off-field issues have deepened the perception that Berry’s talent evaluations come with unnecessary risk. Lay that over the unresolved quarterback situation. Still no official starter named, and the franchise’s slow crawl away from relevance is looking more like a sprint.
92.3 The Fan posted a video on its YouTube channel. It featured Zac Jackson of The Athletic, who didn’t mince words when assessing the fragile ground beneath the Browns’ leadership. “Without passing any judgment on what Quinshon Judkins did or didn’t do, because we don’t know, right? Like, let’s not run from it. This rookie class being good might determine whether this front office has any chance to stay.” It’s a heavy statement, but not without merit. Berry’s draft classes haven’t yielded dependable contributors fast enough, and now, off-field baggage is compounding the issue. As Jackson highlighted, this year’s rookies are being asked to bridge a talent gap and reset the team’s perception. A tough ask when legal headlines and depth chart slides overshadow development.
It’s not just Judkins muddying the optics either. “I mean you know obviously this is not about optics, this is whatever happened or didn’t, but like the optics are awful, Ken,” Jackson continued. “I mean with my call last year and then this now and Devin Bush has a pending trial for assault on a woman, right? So the optics are awful.” That misstep on Bush, combined with the questionable draft reach for Dillon Gabriel, has brought the Browns’ strategy under fire. Veteran insider Tony Grossi put it plainly: Gabriel isn’t the franchise quarterback, at best. He’s a future backup or trade chip by his third year. And that was before the Browns even saw him in pads. Meanwhile, former NFL receiver Cecil Shorts III openly blamed Berry for squandering the chance to land Shedeur Sanders. Arguing that drafting Gabriel was a miss nobody in the league was advocating.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Cleveland Browns Rookie Minicamp May 10, 2025 Berea, OH, USA Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins 10 during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Berea CrossCountry Mortgage Campus OH USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKenxBlazex 20250510_kab_bk4_043
The Browns, despite boasting veterans like Flacco and Pickett, have staked too much on questionable gambles. The selections of Gabriel and the Judkins risk are proving to be a double bind for Berry. Not only is his draft reputation taking hits, but he’s also watching his prized rookies flame out before the season begins. The Dawg Pound doesn’t forget. And if this class collapses, Berry may not get the luxury of waiting for a 2026 franchise QB.
Rookies are struggling to turn hype into reality
Zac Jackson had recently confirmed what Cleveland insiders have been hinting at. The Browns’ quarterback battle will be decided between veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, not the rookies. “I’d be stunned if either rookie can actually win the job in camp,” Jackson stated. Pointing out that Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are realistically competing for a roster spot rather than Week 1 starter status. That echoes coverage from CBS Sports, where Mary Kay Cabot emphasized Gabriel’s edge: “Gabriel has at least a slight edge over Sanders to make a legitimate push for the starting job”.
Former Browns cornerback Tyvis Powell raised an intriguing point. This happened on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show: with Joe Flacco nearing 41 and Pickett possibly a one-year rental, why not go with rookies and save money? The response came from Aditi Kinkhabwala of CBS Sports, who was adamant, “Because you’ll be completely destroyed. They’re just not ready.” She added, “How could you do that … say, ‘We’re not interested in winning?’ Have you looked at the schedule?” This blunt takeaway underscores a clear theme: experience over upside.
For head coach Kevin Stefanski, the message rings loud and clear. As camp nears, reports from Berea suggest Sanders is slipping down the order. While Stefanski has praised his work ethic, he believes Sanders isn’t a Week 1 solution. If Shedeur had shown pro-readiness, the mood around the rookie room would be different. Instead, Cleveland appears poised to lean on tested veterans, leaving the rookies fighting for relevance and prompting early trade whispers.
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