The Cleveland Browns were historically bad offensively in 2024. The Browns finished 3-14 last year with four different starting quarterbacks and secured the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
They selected Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, but neither is currently projected as the starter. Who will start for Cleveland? Hear why ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks that will be the most interesting NFL storyline heading into training camp.
Who Will Win Browns’ QB Battle?
Cleveland finished with the worst offense in the NFL, according to PFSN’s Offense+ metric. Deshaun Watson started the team’s first seven games, throwing for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions before tearing his Achilles.
Jameis Winston was brought in as the backup last offseason and ended up starting seven games, filling in for Watson. Winston was entertaining to watch, but only managed a 2-5 record while posting 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. To his credit, Winston had an all-time performance against the Denver Broncos, throwing for 497 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions, but that play wasn’t sustainable.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe split the final three games, losing them all, and Cleveland finished 3-14.
Cleveland completely turned over its quarterback room this offseason, trading for Kenny Pickett and signing Joe Flacco before drafting Gabriel and Sanders. Pickett was a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but is now on his third team in four seasons.
Flacco, a long-time Baltimore Raven, became a fan favorite in Cleveland after leading the Browns to the playoffs in 2023. He was signed late that season and started five games down the stretch, winning four, and was named Comeback Player of the Year.
The two veterans are likely to battle for the starting job, but Schefter thinks the overall storyline will be must-see during OTAs. He recently appeared on “Unsportsmanlike Radio” and broke down the situation.
Co-host Evan Cohen asked, “23 teams start OTAs today. Is there something specific we should be keeping an eye on?”
To @AdamSchefter, the most interesting storyline throughout the summer is the Cleveland Browns.@ESPNCleveland https://t.co/Jbpo1Z7ZNi pic.twitter.com/tRIruWFHGu
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) May 27, 2025
Schefter answered, “I think the most interesting storyline going into OTAs, and it will be a storyline throughout the summer, is the quarterback room of the Cleveland Browns. Is there a more interesting topic in the National Football League than who’s going to be the starting quarterback in the division going up against Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, and maybe Aaron Rodgers?
“It could be Shedeur Sanders. It could be Dillon Gabriel. It could be Joe Flacco. It could be Kenny Pickett. We don’t think that Deshaun Watson will be recovered from his second torn Achilles injury, though he’s been throwing the football and trying to get back. The Cleveland Browns are in OTAs, and I think this is a chance for them to get a extended look at some of these quarterbacks.
“See what they can do. See what they think going into the summer break and training camp this summer. But that’s going to be something that I think we’re all interested in all summer long. There’s going to be a lot of conversations about what Cleveland’s gonna do at quarterback.”
Sanders was exceptional in his final college season at Colorado, throwing for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns in 2024. However, he’ll have to beat out Gabriel before he can set his sights on the starting job. Gabriel played in 64 college games and led Oregon to an undefeated regular season and Big 10 Championship while throwing for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Sanders has been a media focal point throughout his draft process, and the Browns’ uncertainty at quarterback will only fan those flames. Cleveland has created two separate quarterback controversies, and how they shake out will be highly entertaining during a relatively quiet time in the NFL calendar.