The Cleveland Browns have a crowded quarterbacks room that everyone expects to be cut by one at some point.
Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are not only vying for the starting job in Cleveland, they’re also just trying to secure a roster spot.
Given their experience, Pickett and Flacco are the favorites to land the starting job, but the expectation has been that whichever of the veterans doesn’t win it will be cut or traded, leaving the winner and the two rookies.
And that’s exactly how ESPN’s Peter Schrager sees things playing out. He believes the Browns will part with either Pickett or Flacco and keep Sanders and Gabriel.
“I would be surprised (if the Browns don’t keep the rookies). The two guys I would look at are Flacco and Pickett,” Schrager said. “I would be personally surprised if both of those veteran quarterbacks are still on the roster come Week 1.”
This is the move that has always made the most sense for the Browns. It would simply be way too quick to give up on Sanders and Gabriel, even if they both struggle the rest of the way this offseason.
Between Pickett and Flacco, our money is on Pickett not being on the roster Week 1.
Flacco is just a better quarterback, even at his advanced age, and is an ideal player to not only temporarily hand the keys to in the hopes he can make something out of this season, but to also mentor the young signal-callers.
Barring an unreal showing from Gabriel and/or Sanders in training camp, Flacco is going to get the ball Week 1 and maintain the starting job as long as the Browns have a shot at the playoffs.
Once that’s over — and it could happen relatively quickly — the Browns can turn to their youngsters and evaluate them ahead of a 2026 offseason when Cleveland will have to decide to either stick with one or both, or go in a different direction.
As far as Pickett’s trade value is concerned, it isn’t much. The Browns are probably looking at a late-Day 3 pick from a team looking for a backup. But, hey, that’s better than nothing.
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