The Cleveland Browns made the quarterback depth chart official on Monday, announcing Joe Flacco as the team's starter.
Flacco is going to start the season and is expected to handle the starting duties barring any major struggles. Considering the veteran's age, this is very much on the table. Still, if the Browns face struggles, the front office will be under pressure to give Shedeur Sanders a look, not the first quarterback the team selected.
Sanders has a following based on his last name and college fame coming into the league. Add in the hot preseason start, and it is hard to argue that if Flacco is benched, it will be the well-covered quarterback getting the first look. Meanwhile, fellow rookie QB Dillon Gabriel hasn't looked as sharp in preseason, and the Browns have veteran considerations as well.
Kenny Pickett and Tyler Huntley are both on the roster, and it seems very possible the Browns will move forward with more than one viable veteran option. With this in mind, Gabriel has an uphill battle to make his debut in the 2025 season.
Browns Fans are Unlikely to See Rookie Quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the 2025 Season
If Flacco is able to turn back the clock to the version of himself from the 2023 season, there is reason to wonder if the team gets a look at either rookie this season. The flip side of this is the fact that the Browns are easily the worst roster in the division. When things fall apart, there is little reason to keep Flacco in the lineup even if the veteran is playing well.
Still, Gabriel is fighting an uphill battle to make his debut after a rough preseason showing and clearly being outplayed by Sanders. The quarterback dealt with injury concerns and threw an interception in his debut. While the rookie went 13-of-18 and showed flashes of capability, there is still a clear divide between the two rookies.
The handling of the Browns' offseason remains a mystery, with the clear path forward being to evaluate both rookies. There is zero reason to name Flacco the starter and not take advantage of the chance to evaluate both of the recent draft picks. In what is already a lost season, there is no legitimate hope of contention, meaning everyone should get a fair crack under center.
This should've cemented Cleveland's direction, but instead appears to have made it close to impossible for Gabriel to make his 2025 debut.