The Cleveland Browns have perhaps the most intriguing position battle in the league during training camp at quarterback. With Deshaun Watson re-rupturing his Achilles back in January, he is likely going to miss the entire 2025 season, meaning that the starting quarterback job is wide open for the taking.
Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders, and Tyler Huntley (who was signed earlier this week) are all competing for the job, and it remains anyone’s race. At some point, though, the expectation is that the team will trim its quarterback depth chart down a bit. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, though, that may actually not end up happening.
Adam Schefter’s Bold Browns Quarterback Prediction
Even if Watson were to be healthy, the Browns would have a quarterback dilemma on their hands. Ever since acquiring him in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans, Watson has been a complete mess under center. That led the team to pursue several different options to replace him at quarterback, both for the short and long-term future.
Flacco appears to be the best bet to start Week 1 for Cleveland. The 40-year-old veteran previously led the Browns to the postseason in 2023, and while he struggled in 2024 with the Indianapolis Colts, his familiarity with the team’s offensive system gives him a leg up over the rest of the competition.
Behind him is Pickett, a former first-round pick, a pair of rookies, Gabriel and Sanders, and a former Pro Bowler, Huntley. While each of these guys could have trade value across the league, they may be more valuable for the Browns to hold onto because they have no long-term answer at quarterback, thanks to Watson’s injuries and overall poor play. With that in mind, Schefter now thinks that the team will keep four quarterbacks on its 53-man roster to start the 2025 season.
“My thinking on this after talking to a bunch of people around the league has shifted,” Schefter revealed on “The Adam Schefter Podcast.” “I actually now think the Browns are more likely than not to carry four quarterbacks on their final 53-man roster.”
What Should the Browns Do with Their Quarterback Conundrum?
GettyThe Browns could end up keeping Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel on their 53-man roster
The Browns have several options with their quarterback room moving forward. They could roll with Flacco and attempt to let Pickett, Gabriel, and Sanders develop behind the scenes to start the season, before eventually turning things over to one of these guys. Or they could simply roll with their young options right out of the gate and move on from the veteran Flacco.
There are pros and cons to starting every one of these players, but first, the front office needs to figure out who is actually going to make the team. The fact that four of these five quarterbacks could conceivably make the roster is a pretty surprising development, and it will only add more intrigue to the quarterback competition as training camp continues to unfold.
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