The Cleveland Browns are in for quite the potential quarterback battle.
There are four contenders: Veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, and rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
They’ll all be vying for the spot vacated by trade bust Deshaun Watson, who will miss the 2025 season with a torn Achilles.
Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer gave his take on the battle in a mailbag he wrote on Wednesday:
“Generally, the period of OTAs and the veteran minicamp is for teaching. But in this case, I do think the Cleveland Browns, with new OC Tommy Rees riding shotgun to head coach Kevin Stefanski, are in a position where they have to figure out who’s going to be legitimately ready to compete for the quarterback job in the summer because there’ll only be so many reps to go around in August, and they’ll have to get the whole offense ready for Week 1.
“Right now, I’d bet on Joe Flacco starting the opener for that reason. But, again, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will have the chance to change the equation if they show well enough over the course of May and the first half of June.”
MORE: Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill disses Tua Tagovailoa amid trade rumors
That’s very interesting insight.
Sanders and Gabriel could change the entire battle before the calendar even flips to July, based on what Breer wrote.
An early QB trade could be an indicator, too. If Flacco or Pickett gets moved, it points toward a rookie being on a path toward the starting job.
If both veterans stick around into August, the Browns likely won’t be giving the job to Sanders or Gabriel.
MORE NFL NEWS:
