The Cleveland Browns might walk into the regular season with four quarterbacks on the roster, which is generally unheard of. The usual case is to have a starter, backup, and third emergency quarterback.
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What makes the Browns’ situation even stranger is that the team chose to draft two rookies who have plenty of upside. Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel was taken in the third round, while Colorado Buffaloes’ Shedeur Sanders was taken in the fifth round.
Both rookies have the chance to become starters, and Sanders proved that already with an impressive preseason debut. After using his legs to pick up yardage and throwing into tight windows for two touchdowns, the Buffaloes product has been all the rage.
Sadly, the curse of Browns quarterbacks being injured has led to Sanders likely being sat this week due to an oblique injury. Gabriel will get his chance to run the offense after recovering from a hamstring ailment.
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Should Gabriel take the field and showcase the same kind of, or even better, talent than Sanders, the Browns could find themselves in an even more confusing situation.
There are also veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett to consider, especially in terms of who should start in Week 1.
Now, the Browns are being urged to help clear up confusion but cutting a shocking quarterback from the roster: Flacco.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport has suggested the Browns need to take a leap of faith by cutting Flacco, and letting one of the rookies take center stage.
“Right now, Joe Flacco is the only healthy quarterback on Cleveland’s dumpster fire of a roster. He’s also the only signal-caller in town who has experienced any real success in the NFL.
“But he should absolutely not see the field for the Browns in 2025.
“Want experience? Fine. See if 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett can turn his career around in Cleveland. But at some point, the Browns have to see what they have in rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, especially after surprisingly using a third-round pick on the former.
“Cleveland has a pair of first-rounders in 2026: their own and Jacksonville’s. Flacco isn’t going to miraculously lead the Browns to the playoffs a la 2023. But he could win just enough games to mess up their chances of drafting an elite quarterback prospect without using both picks to trade up.”
Davenport has a point in that the Browns should give Sanders or Gabriel the chance to flourish completely this season. Should both not pan out, they can then be moved on from via the two first-round picks that Cleveland possesses in the 2026 draft.
There is no shame in allowing a rookie signal caller to take the reins, even if both are still rough around the edges. Flacco is a consummate pro and proven veteran, but he has also showcased why it’s dangerous to allow him to start with previous teams.
Flacco came in for Anthony Richardson in 2024, and though he played some decent games, he was benched in favor of the young signal caller. Richardson was hit with a punishment for pulling himself out of a game, but Flacco’s performance led to a swap just two games later.
Flacco could be viewed as the logical person to start out of the four, but if Gabriel and Sanders both continue to play well in preseason, why not take a chance?
What could happen is Gabriel or Sanders emerging as a starter, and the first-round picks in 2026 could then be used to build around either of them. It is a risk, but one the Browns might be smarter to take.
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