The Cleveland Browns have officially locked in their quarterback position. As of their third-straight preseason victory, the Browns seem set on taking four quarterbacks into the regular season. That's right, while most teams will take only two quarterbacks into the regular season, the Browns will take four.
According to GM Andrew Berry, there is no issue taking four quarterbacks beyond training camp, saying via ESPN, "We've largely looked at the last five spots of a roster as more developmental spots, and that can come from any position."
This is likely a sign that the Browns are going to keep both rookies, third-rounder Dillon Gabriel and fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders, as well as former Pittsburgh Steeler first-rounder, Kenny Pickett. They will all be backing up the starter for the team, Joe Flacco.
Browns Are Making a Bad Quarterback Mistake
Flacco will likely start the season, with Pickett serving as the immediate backup. Based on the preseason play of both men, Gabriel will be QB3, and Sanders will likely spend most of the season on the inactive list come gameday. While there are 53 spots on the team, only 48 can dress for a game on Sunday. While Sanders has potential, he's proven he's not as ready as Gabriel and isn't on the same level as Pickett and Flacco just yet.
His outing against the LA Rams was anything but good, as the rookie went just 3-6 for 14 yards, while taking five sacks. Head coach Kevin Stefanski pulled him from the game during the last portion of the game due to how overwhelmed Sanders looked. And that was against third and fourth-stringers. It was not a strong outing for Sanders. Despite that, and proving almost nothing during the preseason, the Browns seem content to keep Sanders.
Yet, the one quarterback the team has cut, Tyler Huntley, is arguably the one player who showed his merit and value to the team. Not when it comes to replacing Sanders and Gabriel, as both men could be something special, but when it comes to replacing Pickett.
Huntley is a former Pro Bowler with a gameplay style that would have benefited the Browns and Flacco. He showed what he could do in Baltimore, replacing Lamar Jackson for a stretch of time and helping the Ravens make the playoffs in 2022.
As of press time, he's the only quarterback to be cut, and it seems very likely that the Browns will keep all four men for the foreseeable future.