The quarterback mess in Cleveland is well-documented. On top of the $230 million elephant in the room named Deshaun Watson, the Browns have four quarterbacks on the roster and no clear hierarchy among them. Not only did Cleveland trade for Kenny Pickett and sign Joe Flacco in free agency, but they also selected Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Not being able to turn down the opportunity to draft Gabriel and Sanders is understandable. What is still difficult to understand for Browns fans, however, is the decision to acquire Pickett. Among all the offseason decisions the Browns made so far, perhaps none was more of a head-scratcher than giving up a fifth-round pick and Dorian Thompson-Robinson for Pickett.
Kenny Pickett Failing to Rise in Browns QB Pecking Order
Only three months after his acquisition, Pickett has already worn out his welcome in Cleveland and is the likely odd man out in the QB competition. Once he is inevitably released, the Browns will have set a mid-round draft pick on fire with nothing to show for it.
When The Athletic's Zac Jackson provided a recap of the Browns' quarterback situation after the minicamp, he referred to Pickett's performance as "unremarkable". This was in line with the previous reporting out of Cleveland that has Pickett firmly in last place in the QB pecking order. So far, he hasn't done anything to stand out from the pack.
Recently, there have been reports about the Browns potentially keeping all four quarterbacks on the roster for next season. In fact, Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot called that scenario "likely" in her latest piece. Considering how unorthodox the quarterback saga has been so far, that wouldn't be the most shocking turn of events.
Even then, however, Pickett is unlikely to justify the price the Browns paid for him early in the offseason. The former Steelers starter and Eagles backup has to show a lot more during training camp for the Browns to consider giving him the QB1 or QB2 role. Until then, he will remain a disappointing acquisition for Cleveland.