The Cleveland Browns added four new quarterbacks to the roster this offseason, but none are viable long-term options.
Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders will compete for the starting spot in training camp, with Deshaun Watson’s status for the 2025 campaign in doubt. However, Pickett and Flacco will be free agents next offseason, and Gabriel and Sanders have uphill battles to establish themselves as potential cornerstones.
The Browns could look to select a quarterback in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and though Texas’ Arch Manning is expected to be the top signal-caller in the class, NFL Spin Zone’s Sayre Bedinger predicts Cleveland will pass on Manning for LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
Nussmeier, the son of former New Orleans Saints quarterback Doug Nussmeier, had a solid 2024 campaign for the Tigers, tossing 29 touchdowns to 12 interceptions with 4,052 yards and a 64.2% completion rate. He also led LSU to a 9-4 record and a win over Baylor in the Texas Bowl.
Though he isn’t the most dynamic athlete, Nussmeier makes up for it with his toughness and exciting arm talent. The 23-year-old has the potential to be a franchise quarterback at the next level, and will be a surefire first-round pick if he posts an impressive 2025 season.
The Browns, who haven’t drafted a quarterback in the first round since Baker Mayfield in 2018, could be in the position to select their hopeful franchise quarterback in Nussmeier in 2026.
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