The Cleveland Browns are looking at yet another messy quarterback battle during training camp. Boy, what's old is new again. The Browns seem to really find the worst ways to manage a quarterback room. Deshaun Watson was supposed to be the adult in the room, but instead he's just the adult that will go down as the biggest bust in NFL history.
Meanwhile, the guy they got rid of for Watson is a two-time Pro Bowler since leaving. If the team was a bit more patient, then maybe we wouldn't be asking if a 40-year-old, two rookies and Kenny Pickett were the best optoins for a potential winning season. Yet, here we are. Asking that very question.
While the particpants aren't ideal, Flacco did take the Browns to the playoffs in 2023 and stayed pretty consistent for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024. If he can avoid declining at all, who's to say he can't repeat 2023? Yet, he's not the only guy with a strong likehood of starting for the team in 2023. So with that, let's rank the fourth quarterbacks and where they stand at this point in training camp.
4. Kenny Pickett
It's very likely that Kenny Pickett not only doesn't start for the Browns, but it's even more likely he doesn't make the team out of camp. It's hard to imagine the team would cut rookies like Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders, and it's even less likely that they would cut Joe Flacco. After all, Flacco is probably the most polished player at the position on this team. Pickett would have to play lights out to change the mind of the coaches, and that doesn't seem likely.
3. Dillon Gabriel
It's sad to say that the third-rounder is less likely to start for the Browns as opposed to a fifth-rounder, but the Browns are in a unique situation. Gabriel, a standout at Oregon, has some major issues going against him. Some believe he's too short at just 5'11, not a concern everyone has, but it's a concern that some have. Others point out that he's already 25 (will turn 25 in December), and considering he'll be 25 in his rookie season, that's not exactly a good thing. He's also pretty slow, running just under a 5.0, 40-yard dash time. He might surprise us all, but it's also likely he ends up with the Pine Pony Club all season.
2. Shedeur Sanders
One can argue that Shedeur Sanders starting for the Cleveland Browns is all but guaranteed. Best case scenario, the Browns end up in the playoffs, and more than likely will have an extra game or two to play without risking starters. In that case, Sanders would likely start, so Joe Flacco didn't have to. Or, worst case scenario, the Browns are out of the playoff running, and so it makes no sense not to see what you have in Sanders now. In either scenario, Sanders will likely start for you. Unless the Browns go 17-0, there is no way Sanders doesn't at least get one start this season.
1. Joe Flacco
He may be older than dirt, and some insiders claim his social security number is 17, but Joe Flacco is still your best option at quarterback this season. He's proven over the last two years that he can still fling the ball. In fact, his new gun-slinger mentality has made him a fan favorite in Cleveland. Especially since he helped lead the team to the playoffs in 2023. If Flacco can recreate that magic once again, then the Browns could be looking at a very fun and exciting year.