Browns QB battle set up for survival of the fittest
If the Cleveland Browns have the quarterback of the future on their roster, then they need to find out soon, and they took an interesting approach this past draft to ensure they could do that. Instead of taking a flashy, high-upside prospect like Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe, they opted for experience.
Trading back from the second overall selection in return for a future first round pick, a second round pick (turned into running back Quinshon Judkins), and more from Jacksonville, it seems like Cleveland is betting on next year's quarterback class possibly having their savior. But they didn't turn away the chance to find a mid-round gem, doubling down and taking fliers on Oregon's Dillon Gabriel in the third round, and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. Together, they combined for:
10 collegiate seasons
114 games
3,914 attempts
33,000 yards
289 touchdowns
Of the quarterbacks drafted, only Tyler Shough, Kurtis Rourke, Graham Mertz, and Will Howard were older. The latter went in the sixth or seventh rounds, whereas Gabriel, 24, went in the third. Tyler Shough stuck out as an older prospect, but he was considerably less experienced than Gabriel or Sanders, starting just one full season and with less than half the career attempts of either, yet went a top as the second round.
Theoretically, this means that if either Gabriel or Sanders has 'it,' then we should see that sooner rather than later. The Browns set up an interesting series of challenges for them to prove it. For starters, they'll have to beat each other. Odds are both will see playing time, but if one is dramatically better than the other, then that will paint a clearer picture.
After that, they'll need to beat out Kenny Pickett. Pickett, a former first round pick to Pittsburgh, is in his fourth season and third stop in his career. He doesn't represent a significant threat, but he has starting experience, played in multiple offenses, and appears to be a strong practice player. The young quarterbacks may have further to go than hoped if they can't take his spot sooner rather than later.
Lastly, there's Joe Flacco. He enters his 18th season having spent 10 of those years as a full-time starter, which included a Super Bowl victory. Lately, he's bounced around teams as a high-end backup or spot starter. What Flacco isn't is exciting. What he is is reliable, smart, experienced, and has a strong grasp of this system after having a short resurgence with Stefanksi in 2023. Neither young quarterback will match the IQ that Flacco brings, but their youth should give them a chance at some point in the year.
However, their draft capital doesn't guarantee anything. Should the Browns overachieve with Flacco (or even Pickett), then there's little reason to force them into the lineup. Only should the Browns lose their season, or one of the two breaks out in a big way, will they get the chance to prove themselves. This puts Cleveland in a very nice situation, a position they put themselves in by not forcing a quarterback selection early.
It'll be the survival of the fittest in Cleveland for 2025. The best will mark their spot for the future to come, setting the blueprint for a more hopeful future.
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