The Cleveland Browns have fully sunk their teeth into this year's training camp sessions as July rolls on. As usual, several positions are up for grabs as veterans and rookies alike duke it out at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea, OH; however, none of those battles is bigger than the one going on under center in Cleveland.
With Deshaun Watson likely missing all of 2025, the Browns are pitting Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders against each other for the No. 1 quarterback job. Regardless of who ends up winning the role, Cleveland fans have been preparing for one of those signal-callers to be cut because it's unusual for an NFL team to carry more than three QBs.
As it turns out, the Browns' general manager could be looking to change that trend.
Browns GM Andrew Berry Hints at Rostering 4 QBs in 2025
Earlier this week, Browns GM Andrew Berry was asked about the possibility of keeping all four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Instead of shooting the idea down, like some fans would have assumed, the 38-year-old executive admitted that Cleveland's final roster spots "could come from any position."
"I also think with the roster flexibility nowadays... there's just more flexibility in terms of how to build your 48-man game-day roster where it's maybe not as quite as restrictive as in the past," Berry said, according to NFL.com's Nick Shook. "If there are four that are 53-man worthy and we think it makes the most sense for us to keep, then we will."
Due to their experience, it's safe to say Flacco and Pickett were as close to being roster locks even before Berry's revelation. Flacco was beloved by Browns fans two years ago and has the most experience in the QB room thanks to his Super Bowl victory. Pickett's status as a former first-round pick has some fans believing that a fresh start will help him realize his potential.
Although Berry's comments are encouraging for all of the Browns' quarterbacks, it's likely the most significant for the team's rookie gunslingers. It's unusual for NFL teams to carry two first-year QBs, so this is an opportunity that Sanders and Gabriel can't afford to fumble if they don't want to be axed before their inaugural season begins.
Assuming the quartet survives the 53-man roster cuts, it'll be interesting to see how the pecking order will shake out. The likeliest scenario would see Flacco and Pickett as the Browns' QB1 and QB2, respectively, with Gabriel and Sanders taking turns as the emergency quarterback depending on who had the hotter hand in practice that week.
For now, the Browns will spend the next few weeks closely assessing each play their quarterbacks make in practice. With how tumultuous Cleveland's QB situation has been in recent years, Berry & Co. can't afford to mess up under center again.